Despite its classic wooden construction the Elettra makes 100% emission-free tourism possible. That is a critical advantage for residents and visitors to the northern Italian lake known for serving as a backdrop to Star Wars and James Bond films as well as for its various spa towns and parks.
ecovolta is the technology partner of the project. The Swiss company is a division of Swiss technology company ecocoach. It was responsible for designing the yacht’s electronics as well as supplying its lithium-ion batteries and the inverter.
A marriage of Italian design and Swiss engineering
The historic shipyard Ernesto Riva has been building exceptional wooden boats since 1771. Today, it is under the leadership of Daniele Riva. The name Elettra hails back to Guglielmo Marconi’s famous research vessel, which was capable of using radio signals for navigation purposes as early as the turn of the 20th century. The current Vaporina Elettra has two electric motors, each with a power output of 100 kW, a length of nearly 10 metres and room for 12 people on board.
“The Vaporina is one of the most traditional models manufactured by Ernesto Riva. With the new electric drive, we are prepared for the 21st century. The boat shows once again how elegant, uncompromisingly sustainable and safe maritime e-mobility can be in this day and age,” says Daniele Riva. Last year, the shipyard had already presented its innovative e-Commuter, which is also fully electric.
Both projects were implemented in collaboration with ecovolta. The ecovolta lithium-ion batteries used in the Elettra provide a total capacity of 180 kWh and enable 5 hours of autonomous operation at a speed of 13 knots. Thanks to their high energy density of 480 Wh per litre, the batteries offer a high capacity without taking up too much space.
The ecovolta safety concept uses cell junctions made up of nickel-electroplated cold strips which automatically cut off damaged battery cells from the rest of the mechanism, preventing fires and allowing the battery as a whole to remain functional, even when individual cells malfunction.
ecovolta CEO Pirmin Reichmuth adds, “The Elettra is a perfect picture of the marriage of Swiss technology and Italian design. Just like electric lorries, vans and motorcycles already running on our batteries, the Elettra combines smart engineering with performance and sustainability.”
About Ernesto Riva Shipyard
The Ernesto Riva shipyard has distant roots, in 1771, in Laglio on Lake Como. Since its origins, the shipyard has been dedicated to the construction of boats, lances, English boats and Manzoni's "lucie", used by fishermen or traders. Today, Ernesto Riva Shipyard has skillfully combined the secrets of tradition with the most innovative working methods, aiming for excellence in design and quality of materials, with an eye to the environment.
