“Electrifying Water Mobility for Future Generations”: Alejandro Agag

The countdown is over, on Friday, at the Monaco Yacht Club, a further step towards electric mobility has been made, with the launch of the UIM E1 World´s Electric Powerboat Series, which aims to help to improve the health of the seas and oceans globally while establishing a new sporting competition.

Alejandro Agag, a pioneer in developing projects that help promote electric mobility and environmental awareness, continues a successful journey that combines adventure, competition, environmental challenges, and technology.

In the E1 Series, he will act in the role of Non-Executive Chairman; he is also Extreme E Founder and CEO – the off-road, all-electric racing platform that will be linked to the brand new electric powerboat project, and moreover, he is the founder of Formula E, the world´s first all-electric racing series.

“I am delighted that we are today able to announce this unique step forward in the marine-based sport,” Agag said. “We believe this series will engage not only the sporting public, and boating and tech enthusiasts around the world, but also ocean conservationists who care about the future of our planet.

“The earth’s oceans, lakes, and rivers are under huge environmental pressure, and the E1 World Electric Powerboat Series will lead the way in electrifying water mobility for future generations.”

Agag and Rodi Basso are the masterminds behind the revolutionary idea, to which the latter described in his Instagram account as “the first and only World Electric Powerboat Series.”

Basso will be the Chief Executive of the E1 Series; he is an Italian engineer well known inside the motorsport industry, having worked in Formula One with Ferrari, Red Bull Racing, and as a Motorsport Director with McLaren Applied Technologies.

“During 20 years of competition in motor racing, I have always dreamt of using motorsport to demonstrate and gain visibility around technology and then build solutions with it in other fields.

“With this championship, we are going to accelerate the take-up of electric technology in the marine industry by bringing huge technological advances and expertise from motor racing. We are going to produce a thrilling and exciting sporting spectacle that will appeal to millions of fans worldwide.”

GETTING TO KNOW E1

The championship has been licensed by the UIM (Union Internationale Motonautique), featuring high-performance “Race Bird” boats.

The electric powerboat will have the capacity to reach a top speed of 60 knots – 111 km/hr or 69 mph.
The debut season will feature up to 12 teams, one pilot per boat.

“The UIM is delighted to support scientific research and its dissemination, as this will support awareness-raising activities on the many environmental and climate-specific challenges that the world faces today,” said The President of the UIM and the (GAISF) the Global Association of all International Sport Federations Dr. Raffaele Chiulli.

Meeting the Electric Racebird Boat

The concept design of Race Bird 01, will be developed in partnership with SeaBird Technologies, its founder Sophi Horne, and SailGP, which will also provide support for the events, and logistics management.

“We are powered by nature, and SailGP and E1 share a similar sense of purpose to be leading examples of sustainable technology, ” said SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts. 

E1 and EXTREME E

Extreme E, the all-electric ODYSSEY 21 E-SUVs, will start its debut season in 2021, traveling to five remote locations on the planet on board the Royal Mail Ship St Helena.

Both series will be associated, with St Helena also serving as a paddock facility to E1 for races outside Europe.

The E1 series will share some venues with the off-road racing series, but it will also compete in other host cities, yet to be announced.

The racing weekend schedule will comprise two days of competition. Each venue will consist of a qualifying stage, semi-finals, and a final stage – where at least three powerboats will fight for the win.

“Right now, the use of electric power on the water is still at an embryonic stage,” Agag added. 

“My ambition is for the E1 Series to accelerate the adoption of electric boats, to demonstrate how exciting they can be, and to promote electric solutions and clean water mobility to marine travel worldwide.”

Image and video courtesy of E1 Series