Nascent solar electric catamaran manufacturer ZEN Yachts has announced the closing of a Series A funding round totaling 5.5 million euros ($5.86M), sponsored entirely by Ocean Zero, LLC. The zero emissions boatbuilder looks to use the fresh round of funding to continue construction of the first hulls of its ZEN50 solar electric catamaran, of which additional preorders have now been secured.
ZEN Yachts is a company that stands for “Zero Emission Nautic Ltd.”, and was founded in 2021 with the goal of popularizing zero-emission yachts and maximizing their performance. To do this, they have combined both wind sailing with electric propulsion. The ZEN50 is a 50+ foot solar electric catamaran currently being built near Barcelona, and features 2 x 50kW brushless DC motors, powered by a 160 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack. The main pack is supported by an entire rooftop of solar panels, offering a peak power of 17 kW, allowing the ZEN50 to cruise at 4.5-5 knots using the power of the sun alone or cruise at 7-9 knots using the electric motor and wingsail combined with the capability to reach a max speed of 14 knots.
The Series A funding round was committed entirely by Ocean Zero, LLC, which invests specifically in young companies working to decarbonize transportation across the planet’s oceans, rivers, and seas. The company has since secured three additional pre-orders for the ZEN50, and has decided to invest in series production molds. This has caused a delay in carbon hull production, with deliveries of hulls 1 and 2 now expected to arrive in Q1 and Q2 of 2024 respectively.
Looking ahead, ZEN Yachts intends to officially debut during the International Multihull Show at La Grande Motte in France in mid-April, followed by its inaugural Community Days planned for June 8-9 at its headquarters in Barcelona. With this new round of funding, ZEN Yachts is well-positioned to make a significant impact on the marine industry with its zero-emission yachts.
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