Helios Marine Marrying Electric Boats and Technology

By Jeff Butler

Brothers Drago and Dimitar Enchevi grew up boating on the Black Sea. Their father was a captain, and his father before him. But when the latest generation started thinking about buying a yacht themselves, it started a journey that would have them looking to the future of boating, not the past.

Drago is a multi-discipline engineer and Dimitar an investment manager specializing in the renewable and green energy industries. In looking at new boats one was struck by the sheer amount of fossil fuel that would be burned and the other was struck by the inefficiency of the overall technology.

Too Much Fuel, Too Little Technology

That was in 2020, and when looking at the electric options available, and their own backgrounds, they determined that they could do better – both for themselves and the planet. By mid-2023, they had released two electric boat prototypes, developed a proprietary marine battery, and designed a propulsion kit that integrates software and hardware to convert traditional boats into more eco-friendly vessels.

These developments grew partly from conversations they had with friends and business associates and partly through broader research into the desires of a changing boat buying public and what that means for the future.

What they came to realize is that the decision to shift to electric propulsion for buyers is more than a technical switch – it’s a cultural one, with 5 main profiles of people interested in electric boats. There is overlap between them, of course, but three of them are generally recreational boaters and two are looking for commercial vessels.

Five Boat Buyer Profiles

• The Sustainability-Minded Cruiser is often an early adopter of EVs or home solar systems and views boating and time on the water as an extension of a low-impact lifestyle.
• The Quiet Water Enthusiast is drawn to electric boating for a peaceful experience and being closer to nature, free from engine noise, fumes, or environmental disruption.
• The Tech-Savvy Innovator is drawn to electric propulsion because they are looking for a connected vessel that feels as responsive and intelligent to them as their smart home or electric car.
• The Cost-Focused Operator is usually a small to mid-sized commercial user that might require something like a harbour ferry or marina shuttle and is looking to cut fuel expenses, minimize downtime, and streamline operations.
• The Forward-Looking Fleet Manager is responsible for multiple vessels and approaches electric boating with a focus on oversight, scalability, and operational intelligence.

Having all of their technologies under one roof allows Helios to appeal to each of these profiles as they require. For the Sustainability-Minded Cruiser and Quiet Water Enthusiast their Helios 7.2 electric day cruiser, which we were very impressed with at the recently at the Cannes Yachting Festival, has a rooftop solar installation that automatically charges in sunlight with a generating capability of 1.2 kiloWatts peak and up to 7.8 kWh of energy.

That supplements the energy storage of battery packs that power either a 25kW or 50 kW electric drive system. They use the LiFePo4 chemistry that is being adopted by more and more large EV companies for safety reasons and leverage blade battery cells to maximize energy density (energy storage per unit of weight). The slim, flat format of the cells reduces a lot of the connective wires and adhesives required in other packs and increases the actual energy storing space by 50% – 60%. Their compact design allows for more flexibility in system layouts.

Blade Cell LiFePo4 Batteries

To address different speed and range desires, Helios has developed a plug-and-play JAM system (Just Add Module) that allows you to expand the capacity and/or voltage of the packs. The packs feature IP67 rated waterproofing and all Helios boats use a ‘safe-to-touch’ 48 DC electrical architecture.

For the Tech-Savvy Innovator, Helios has developed their Marine Link and IoT Control Module for them to enjoy the same responsiveness and intelligence as they’ve come to expect from using other things in their lives – like entertainment systems, smart homes and EVs.

Marine Link and IoT Control Module

Marine Link allows users to monitor and manage their boat’s systems both onboard and remotely. Using 5G connectivity with secure data transfer protocols, it provides real-time tracking, system alerts, and remote control and camera access through a user-friendly app available on iOS and Android.

NMEA2000 compatibility means Marine Link can also be marketed by the company separately from the Helios vessels, allowing quick integration with existing boat systems and hardware without extensive modifications.

Those capabilities make it ideal for commercial users like the Forward-Looking Fleet Manager and Cost-Focused Operator profiles. Through the secure cloud portal, managers can monitor and manage multiple boats from one place. Data and analysis provides real-time tracking, vessel performance information, system alerts, energy consumption, and predictive maintenance reports.

It can also provide up-to-the-minute reports on overall operational expenses and, by tracking energy consumption, can provide CO2 reduction estimates, helping operators increase efficiency and lower environmental impact.

Considering the generations of naval heritage behind Helios, it is easy to think of how much boating has changed since grandfather Enchevi plied the waters of the Black Sea. But what doesn’t change is the lure of being on a boat, driven in part by a love of simply being out amidst the waves, away from the constraints of land.

Drago and Dmitar say “We envision a world where silent electric boats are the norm, not the exception, and that’s the future we are building. What drives us is challenging the boundaries of possible in the maritime industry through digital-first and electric solutions, to make eco-friendly boating easy and for all kinds of people to sail the oceans in harmony with marine life.”