Electrifying Venice, progress so far
Kevin Desmond
Launched five years ago, the mission to electrify all motorised boats in Venice’s canals and lagoon continues to progress, both through Government incentives and during the Salone Nautico, an international meeting point for the builders of electric boats and electric motors.
That things are getting serious was evidenced by a round table discussion, “Electric Boats and Charging Infrastructure in the Venice Lagoon”, held on the first day of the Salone Nautico in the Sala Modelli, Spazio Thetis, to address issues related to the future of electric boating and its critical issues in the lagoon. Those taking part included the Veneto Region, the Venice Commune, the Venice Sustainability Foundation, NatPower H and several key boatbuilders.
Among those things observed, until October 1st 2025, those in Venice who decide to electrify can take advantage of eco-incentives and get a grant of up to 50 percent of eligible expenses. For outboards equipped with an integrated battery of not less than 0.5 Kw and up to 12 Kw is 2,000 euros, while for those outboards with an external battery, inboard, inboard-outboard or propulsion POD is 10,000 euros. The ceiling is 8,000 euros in case the application comes from an individual and up to 50,000 euros in case of a company.
The sixth Salone Nautico di Venezia welcomed 30,000 visitors, 300 boats, and 270 exhibitors. It featured numerous interesting innovations in the field of eco-sustainable motors. An entire floating dock, P2, was dedicated to these new technologies from around the world,
“The Boat Show is not just a showcase,” Mayor Luigi Brugnaro emphasized “but a laboratory of ideas, a meeting place for diverse expertise and visions.” These visions come from around the world, concentrated for five days in Venice, thanks in part to the Show’s participation in Expo 2025 in Osaka, where the lagoon capital was the protagonist of the Italian Pavilion with events and symbolic installations.”
ACTV, who run the public transport system of Venice, ashore and afloat, are also showing signs of e-progress. Ashore, alongside its dozens of electric buses, with 90 hydrogen-powered buses on the way, ACTV intends to electrify a total of approximately 59 waterborne units (18 new vessels + 35 engine retrofits + 9 hybrid motorboats), as part of its ecological transition plan running through 2032. These initiatives are part of an overall investment of more than 150 million euros for water transport. As proof, at the Salone, they showed the hybrid VE 7969 vaporetto, a collaboration between AVM/Actv and VULKAN Italia—specifically, the Hybrid and Electric Solutions division—which won the public tender for the re-motorization of one of the motorboats that make up the ACTV fleet. In addition to VULKAN Italia, which coordinated the entire process, Bimotor (diesel engine for the generator set), E2C (electric converters), Tema (electric motors, inverters, PMS control systems), Innave (naval design), and VECO (cooling and ventilation systems) have collaborated.
“With this first hybrid vaporetto,” said the Honorable Michele Zuin, Councilor for Budget, Participatory Investments, and Public Transport for the City of Venice, “we are taking another step toward a more sustainable future. The City Council’s commitment to sustainability is clear, both in the lagoon and in the automotive sector.”
Also at the Salone was – at last – the 100% electric lagoon taxi, name of the Lucietta and an an alternative to current vehicles presented by Repower, a Swiss energy supplier. They entrusted Nauta Design Yacht and the Serenella shipyard in Murano with the construction of this 9.30 by 2.25 meter vessel, with a capacity of 14 people and a power output of 200 kW, capable of reaching a top speed of 30 knots. Her hull is made of composite carbon fiber and recycled Murano glass, thanks to the collaboration with the startup Rehub. More importantly, Lucietta’s the engine allows for a range of 25 hours at full load and at a speed of 4 knots (7 km/h), which is the average speed in the canals within the city, also ensuring lower maintenance costs. She can run for 25 hours at full load and a speed of 4 knots (7 km/h), which is the average speed in the city’s internal canals. It also guarantees maintenance costs 90% lower than comparable endothermic engines.
Lucietta is also equipped with a boarding handrail and a stainless steel rub rail for protection, and the interior includes LED lighting, USB ports, and dimmable lights. Underwater lights located at the stern glow at night, and for music and entertainment, a Fusion audio system with K-Array speakers is installed. Lucietta also appeared during the 82nd Venice International Film Festival – La Biennale di Venezia between August 27th and September 6th, 2025.
At the beginning of the P2 pier in the Arsenale was the hull that most intrigued visitors with its sci-fi, space-age look. It is the Cyber-Cat from the Belisama shipyard in Mogliano Veneto, an entirely aluminum cat equipped with two Yamaha Harmo electric motors, its deck covered with solar panels that allow it practically complete autonomy. Its hull is designed to produce the least possible wave motion, and it is equipped with a conveyor belt that collects floating waste along with a filter that also traps microplastics. This unit is particularly suitable for marinas, small ports, and inland waterways in general.It features a conveyor belt that collects floating waste along with a filter that also traps microplastics. This unit is particularly suitable for marinas, small ports, and inland waterways in general for cleaning and depollution operations.
From Spain, came the classic-lined Dhamma Blue prototype, a 7.90-meter vessel powered by green hydrogen, a fuel cell, and a 135-kW electric motor, a system that promises to triple the performance of conventional vessels. It has a top speed of 28 knots and a range of 60 nautical miles. Presented as a 10-meter tender, the Lumen E10, from Dutch shipyard JR Yachts, stood out for its high sides that slope towards the stern in the shape of wings and its small beach area. It is powered by two 59 kW electric motors, reaching a speed of 35 km/h and a range of 160 kilometers at a cruising speed of 13 km/h.
Chosen as the official support vessel for the 2024 America’s Cup by the Spanish shipyard De Antonio Yachts, the E 23 catamaran is 7.20 meters long and 2.30 meters long. Thanks to its integrated foil, with a 50 kW Torqeedo electric motor, it can reach over 30 knots and has a range, at 6 knots, of about 10 hours.
Also present was the Austrian Frauscher shipyard, represented by Cantiere Nautico Feltrinelli, with the Porsche 850 Fantom Air, a motorboat equipped with the proven 400 kW electric propulsion system from the Porsche Macan Turbo automobile, capable of reaching speeds of 98 km/h. And, as an absolute novelty, the Italian debut of the 740 Mirage Air, powered by the Norwegian Evoy, also electric, combining the 120 horsepower Breeze inboard engine with a 120 horsepower, Mercruiser sterndrive transmission.
Silent Yacht exhibited the Silent 62, a 19-meter catamaran equipped with solar panels built in the Italian shipyard in Fano. that focuses on sustainability by incorporating the best of electric boating, although it is equipped with a generator for any emergencies.
From Slovenia, e-dyn (electric dynamic nautics) for the fifth consecutive time took first place in the e-regatta Slalom, organized by Assonautica and the Associazione Motonautica Venezia in the Arsenale’s large basin. With its 20 35 electric outboard motor, 25 kW at 96 V, mounted on a Zero Electric VSR RIB and a traditional hull. The overall winner of this year’s e-regatta was the company AS La Bruna of Monopoli, which, in turn, presented a RIB Energy 6.3powered by an Explomar 300 outboard.
The Swedish company X Shore was also present this year with its boats Featuring minimalist layouts typical of Scandinavian design, the flagship model, the X Shore 1, measures 6.5 by 2.2 meters and can carry 5 people. It has a 142 kW Bosch engine, a 62 kWh battery, a shaft-driven inboard engine, a central stepper motor, and two lateral hull slides.
Also lined up along the P2 pontoon, other motorized boats, always electric or hybrid, from Transfluid, Huracan, Torqeedo, e-propulsion, Temo, Molabo, Mercury, Tema, Tohatsu, e-vision,Yamaha, Volvo, Honda, all now oriented to these new, eco-sustainable versions that undoubtedly represent the future of our motorized navigation if addressed, moreover, with incentives and disincentives aimed at promoting what is an imperative and necessary for the decarbonization of the planet.
So, after all the exhibitors have gone home, is Venice itself electrifying? According to Gianni Darai part of the Assonautica team: “We still don’t see much enthusiasm from professionals (passenger and cargo boats) due to the lack of charging stations. Internal combustion engines still have the upper hand, at least until the City Council, given Venice’s uniqueness, makes things more attractive with incentives and disincentives that encourage users to make a different choice (as it had promised), but the fear of losing consensus… and votes has put a stop to everything.”
When Kevin Desmond launched the VeniceAgenda project, he chose a deadline year of 2028. “Initially inspired by Commendatore Pietro Tosi’s courageous, single-handed campaign to introduce electric boats to Venice, we have certainly come a long way. Therefore it will be interesting to see what happens in the next three years.”
Many thanks to Assonautica Venezia for their help in preparing this article.
Picture courtesy of Gianni Darai