Princeton University’s Electric Speedboat team (PES) broke the world water speed record for an electric-powered boat on Thursday when hydroplane driver John Peeters averaged 114.20 mph (183.78 km/h) on the American Power Boat Association’s sanctioned kilo course on Lake Townsend near Greensboro, North Carolina.
The team, made up of more than 40 students from New Jersey’s Princeton University, crushed the previous official record of 88.61 mph established by Jaguar-Vector’s V20E race boat in 2018.
After a brief course delay Thursday morning, the team launched their customized Pro-Outboard hydroplane with a 200 HP electric race motor, co-developed with Flux Marine, around 10 AM. The boat, nicknamed “Big Bird,” was met with perfect lake conditions and a picturesque backdrop of autumn colors.
Peeters entered the kilo speed-trap and posted a single direction speed of 111.08 mph (178.76 km/h). Without recharging the boat’s batteries (as is required of a kilo-style event), he then increased his speed in the opposite direction, recording an average speed of 117.50 mph (189.1 km/h). The two speeds averaged together for the new world record of 114.20 mph (183.78 km/h).
“We came together as a team with a dream. Today, the hard work and ingenuity brought this dream into a reality,” said Peeters, an Arlington, Washington resident and holder of numerous hydroplane racing records. “Rarely can one say: we are the greatest or best, but today we can. Fastest electric boat ever,” he added afterwards.
After repairs are made to a broken propeller shaft that unfortunately ended the day early, Andrew Robbins, Princeton Electric Speedboating’s Chief Executive Officer, believes the team is on track for a 120+ mph average on the next attempt and plans are already in the works to increase the record they just set.
[source: Princeton University, image: Princeton University Electric Speedboating]
