Meet The Riva El-Iseo,’The World’s Most Beautiful Electric Powerboat’
Riva’s signature seafaring sophistication gets electrified.
The Riva Aquarama, arguably the most stylish runabout of all time, embodies the La Dolce Vita spirit of 1960s Italy. Still today, its shimmering chrome details and magnificent mahogany hull invariably inspire both awe and jealousy in onlookers and collectors. Now Riva is debuting a cutting-edge powerboat that exudes all the timeless seafaring sophistication set forth by the Aquarama while implementing a cutting-edge propulsion system.
For Riva followers, the name El-Iseo gives away the basics: This is an all-electric evolution of the beloved 27-foot Iseo runabout. The design is one of “two souls,” as the brand notes; the polished mahogany deck and stern platform, the stainless steel detailing of the lateral grills and two-tone upholstery are all classic Riva. Meanwhile, the cockpit forgoes the individual seats of old in favor of a brand new uninterrupted C-shape configuration. The hull’s color is also a novel one for Riva: a California Sky Blue that beautifully plays off the deep blue Mediterranean waters on which it’s sure to cruise.
Such a stunning design should come as no surprise, as it was penned by Officina Italiana Design founders Mauro Micheli and Sergio Beretta. The pair worked in partnership with the engineers at Ferretti Group, the umbrella company which Riva joined in 2000, and Ferretti stakeholder Piero Ferrari, the Vice Chairman of Ferrari and only living son of the marque’s founder, Enzo Ferrari.
But more ambitiously, the El–Iseo has staked a claim as the “world’s most beautiful electric boat” and the first in Riva’s new e-Luxury segment. “Riva’s great strength, right from the outset, has been its ability to rise to and win the design challenges faced over the years, by combining its craftsmanship and know-how with new technologies,” explained Ferretti Group CEO Alberto Galassi, the son-in-law of Piero. “Riva El-Iseo isn’t only the world’s most beautiful full-electric powerboat, but also proof that investing in research and development opens up new paths to sustainability and environmental awareness.”
While thrust comes from a modified Mercury Racing Bravo X3R sterndrive leg, the preceding Iseo’s Volvo Penta V8 engines have been replaced by a Parker GVM310 full-electric unit from Parker Hannifin, a world-leading motion and control technology engineering firm based in the US. With an output of 250 kW and a peak output of 300 kW, the power plant offers unprecedented speed and acceleration, namely a cruising speed of 25 knots, a self-limited top speed of 40 knots, and “an acceleration curve significantly steeper than that of a similarly sized boat powered by an internal combustion engine,” Riva says.
Just as impressive are the liquid-cooled and sealed batteries supplied by Podium AdvancedTechnologies, a leading innovative engineering company specialized in electric power, automotive design and motorsport. More efficient, extremely light and up to 10 times longer-lasting than lead-acid technology, the 150 kWh 800-V batteries can be recharged from 20 to 80 percent in 75 minutes.
As with cars, range varies drastically depending on driving style. There are three drive modes, elegantly named Adagio, Andante and Allegro after classical music tempos. In the most economical Adagio mode, maximum speed is 5 knots and acceleration is limited, reducing fuel consumption and maximizing range to up to 10 hours of cruising. In Andante mode, cruising speed and acceleration are comparable to a typical yacht of similar length with an internal combustion engine, reaching a maximum planing speed of 25 knots. Allegro is the sport (fun) mode, in which the engine is unlimited and El-Iseo can reach a top speed of 40 knots with electrifying acceleration. If this is what “sustainability and environmental awareness” looks like on the water, count us in.
