MONACO—A new electric speedboat racing competition that has attracted interest from Tom Brady and other celebrities will begin this weekend in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The E1 world championship will also include stops later in the year in Holland, Hong Kong, Italy, Monaco, Spain and Switzerland.
Similar to Formula E car racing, the events will take place in urban settings to promote sustainable mobility. Mixed-gender teams of pilots will compete in identical 24-foot-long boats dubbed RaceBirds.
The sleek design features an enclosed cockpit and hydrofoils that lift the carbon-fiber composite hull 3-feet above the water to allow for minimum drag and maximum battery efficiency. The boats, built in Europe by Victory Marine, are powered by batteries made by Kreisel Electric (a division of Deere & Co.) and outboard engines made by Mercury Marine (a division of Brunswick Corp.).
Celebrity team owners include ex-NFL superstar Brady, tennis legend Rafael Nadal and Formula 1 race car driver Sergio Perez. The boats will tackle tight, technical circuits, reaching speeds close to 58 mph. Peak power output will be 150 kilowatts, with a battery capacity of 35 kilowatt hours.
