A challenge to prove the autonomy of the electric catamaran
What if you could sail for 24 hours, live on board just like at home, and return to port with batteries still charged… all without burning a single drop of fuel? That was the challenge taken up by Multihulls World magazine, which embarked on the Leopard 46 Electric Drive – the first hybrid catamaran designed by Leopard Catamarans and built by Robertson and Caine.
Departing from Saint-Raphaël (France), the crew set a clear goal: enjoy the sea and the comfort of life on board, while proving that an electric catamaran can offer the same freedom as a conventional yacht… but in silence, and with zero emissions.
A 100% battery-powered departure
As soon as the lines were cast off, the 27 kWh lithium batteries powering each engine showed 100%. The Leopard 46 Electric Drive is equipped with two 25 kW electric motors housed in external pods, backed up by a powerful 24 kW generator (which remained off throughout the test).
Solar energy also plays a key role: four large panels aft of the coachroof provide 1.6 kWp of power, recharging the batteries even late in the day. As a result, from the outset, the announced range rivals that of a diesel-powered yacht – up to 920 nautical miles at 6 knots.
From Saint-Raphaël to Cannes: the joy of a 100% electric cruise
The silence is striking as soon as the boat leaves the harbor. The instant torque of the electric motors makes maneuvering smooth and vibration-free. The course is set for Cannes at a moderate speed (4.9 knots), keeping consumption down to just 3 kWh per engine.
On board, everything runs like on a luxury yacht: refrigerators, instruments, 230 V converter, laptops, and phones. Domestic consumption remains below 1 kWh per hour, proving that an electric catamaran can deliver all modern comforts.
By late afternoon, the thermal breeze picks up. The sails are hoisted, the engines shut down. The Leopard glides at 2.5 knots in absolute silence, while hydrogeneration begins producing energy—though efficiency remains modest in such light wind conditions.
