At this year's autumn trade fairs, you could hear something about "e-mobility on the water" at almost every press event. Many shipyards are still designing or testing boats with electric drives, but some were already presenting the finished models on their exhibition stands. This included Hellwig Bootsmanufaktur with its Milos V630 Cabin Elektro at the Friedrichshafen trade fair. However, we have already driven the boat on the high-speed section of the Maas near Roermond in August this year. I'm curious, because we rarely drive a normal sports boat that is purely electric and glides at high speed.
The driving behaviour is typical of a glider
We arrive at the slipway with shipyard manager Michael Hammermeister and launch the electric Hellwig in no time at all. He then sits down at the helm and switches on the unit on the control panel (7-inch touch display) and we are ready to go: We cast off with a gentle whisper and set course for the Meuse at displacement speed. In this mode, the boat behaves like its combustion-powered siblings: it yaws a little like a glider and should be corrected as little as possible so that you don't overshoot the target. The high-speed section comes into view, soon it will be time. First we take the driving photos, and of course the Milos V630 should glide. So the shipyard manager puts the lever on the table and the test boat immediately starts planing.
The later test drives show that the Milos Elektro is already travelling quickly at almost 40 km/h at 3000 rpm. The motor monitoring display shows an output of 76 kW, resulting in a consumption of 1.91 kWh/km. The Milos runs a little more economically at 54.1 km/h with 1.89 kWh/km. At the maximum speed of 5000 rpm, we reach an impressive 80.0 km/h, and a glance at the display shows a value of 192 kW. How is that possible? The motor only has an output of 125 kW. That's the so-called booster function, which gives the engine a real power boost. According to the manufacturer (Aqaforce), this is a function that the motor can easily handle in this boat-drive constellation.
"Long Range" mode regulates the range
So what about the range? I only find out exactly at the end of my test drive, because the system suddenly cuts out and only speeds of under 3000 rpm are possible with a 25% battery charge. Then "Long Range" appears on the display. This means that you can only drive slowly from this point onwards. A setting that can also be reprogrammed by a specialist. The safe option has definitely been chosen for this boat configuration, as the range increases enormously with an adjusted displacement speed (around 9 km/h). In our test combination, a further level has been programmed: From 15 %, the boat travels at a maximum of 8 km/h. What does the 25% limit mean for our gliding range? At 54.1 km/h, the carpool travelled 32.2 km before the control system switched to "long range". This is easily the distance from Friedrichshafen to Romanshorn and back on Lake Constance, for example. Of course, the ranges are much shorter than with a combustion engine. For example, if we take the values from BOOTE 2/20 with a 4.5-litre Mercury inboard engine, the range at 53.4 km/h is just under 230 km.
Measurement results:
Back to the electric version: when manoeuvring, in fast bends and in slalom manoeuvres, as well as when the steering is jerked, it behaves in the same way as the other V630 siblings. The electric version is quieter, but the driving and drive noise can of course also be heard. Steering is controlled by a hydraulic unit and the engine speed is regulated by an electronic control unit. With the latter, you have to press a safety button to start (forwards and backwards). Shortcoming: A quick stop is missing (to be retrofitted).
The comfort on board keeps pace with the other variants, but there is no bunk installed in the cabin, instead there are two battery packs. The other batteries can be found together with the motor, controller and charging unit (3x 3 kW, 230 V and 400 V) in the neatly installed motor compartment under the comfortable sunbed.
Conclusion
The Hellwig Milos V630 Cabin Elektro can be driven like a normal sports boat. When it comes to range, you have to reorient yourself and switch to the slow gear if necessary. I particularly like the option of programming the speed levels.
The test video
Technical data
The boat
- Shipyard: Hellwig (Germany)
- Type:Milos V630 Cabin Electric
- CE category: C/7 persons
- Hull and deck: Plastic
- Length over everything: 6,30 m
- Width: 2,20 m
- Unladen weight: from 1400 kg
- Depth: 0,80 m
- Clearance height: 1,24 m
- Battery capacity: 81 kWh
- Freeboard: 0,69 m
- Cockpit side height inside: 0,78 m
- Cockpit size: 2.65 m x 1.74 m
- List price: 174.900 €
- Shipyard: Hellwig Bootsmanufaktur, Sittarder Straße 1, D-41812 Erkelenz, www.hellwig-bootsmanufaktur.de
The motor
- Manufacturer: Aqaforce (Germany)
- Type: F-125
- Performance: 125 kW
- Full load speed: 5000 rpm
- Nominal voltage: 335 Volt
- Motor weight: 73 kg
- Z-drive: Alpha One with Black Max 23" prop.
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Ralf Marquard
Deputy Editor in Chief BOOTE
