New Products & Services

HamiltonJet Introduces Electro-Hybrid Drive

The system combines electric and diesel engines with waterjets instead of sterndrives.

Well-known for its waterjet propulsion, HamiltonJet has unveiled an Electro-Hybrid Drive (EHX) that combines the advantages of electric propulsion with the capabilities of diesel. The company says the system will use less fossil fuel during docking and low-speed operation, but will still reap the benefits of speed, maneuverability, efficiency and safety that come with water jets.

Energy Management

EHX consists of electric motors, power electronics and controls to integrate with the waterjets, engines, gearboxes or clutches. The system manages the hybrid energy flow between the diesel engines, batteries and electric motors while charging and discharging the batteries as needed. There’s an automatic setting, plus a manual one with four different modes of operation, diesel only, electric only, charging or electric boost. EHX can also be configured for an electric-only vessel.

HamiltonJet CEO Ben Reed said his company has collaborated on electric-hybrid projects around the globe. “When it comes to hybrid electric solutions, we know one size definitely does not fit all. That’s why we’ve created a system that’s scalable to individual vessel projects. Motors, battery capacity and components are all specifically selected based on bespoke need.”

New Test Boat

HamiltonJet acquired a 49.21’ (15 m) aluminum hydrofoil-assisted catamaran test boat that was equipped with the EHX systems. The boat was originally designed by Teknicraft and built by Q-West, which will complete the refit with the new propulsion system.

The hydrofoil-assisted catamaran had been a pleasure craft used primarily for cruising.

The conversion will change the test boat to a parallel-hybrid vessel. The existing HJ364 jets and blueArrow controls will be replaced with Hamilton HTX jets and AVX controls plus a Danfoss electric drive system. A special fire-rated compartment will be installed to house the 1,322.78 lb. (600 kg) Corvus Dolphin lithium-ion battery bank.

After the refit, HamiltonJet expects to run the boat on electric, diesel, diesel-generate and diesel-boost modes. “This major investment underpins our strategic focus on electrification, digitization and autonomy,” Reed said. “This vessel will showcase a wide range of innovations from our own hybrid system to advance skipper assistance, autonomy and remote connection features.”