An article by Lori Schüpbach
The market for electric boats appears to be going through a difficult period at the moment. The headlines surrounding the bankruptcy of the Swedish flagship electric boat pioneer X-Shore reached a provisional peak in late October in terms of negative news. Earlier this year, Q Yachts and Rand Boats as promising electric boat manufacturers are forced to file for insolvency. The collapse of Rand Boats, in particular, came as a surprise: the Danish company, founded by brothers Carl and Oscar Rand in 2014, had enjoyed great success with small electric hire boats in and around Copenhagen. However, it appears that the planned growth strategy – Rand referred to it as the ‘Master Plan 2035’ – was built on shaky foundations. The shipyards are now faring better and have found new investors.
Fourth generation at Frauscher
The mood is quite different at the Austrian company Frauscher Bootswerft GmbH & Co in Gmunden on Lake Traunsee. In the summer, with Georg Frauscher, a representative of the fourth generation On to the management team – another chapter has been added to the success story. Founded in 1927, Frauscher-Werft has been offering electric-powered boats since 1955 – but that’s not all. And this is precisely where one of the key differences from the aforementioned newcomers lies: over the course of nearly 100 years, the shipyard has managed to combine innovation and tradition under one roof. They have continually developed their product range without losing their own identity.
What does it take to enjoy a carefree day on the water? Lovely weather, plenty of time and the right boat. With the 650 Alassio, the team at Frauscher have shown that they’ve thought of everything: comfortable seating and lounging areas, shade from the potentially scorching sun, chilled drinks, a good sound system, a bathing ladder and plenty of storage space. What more could a motorboat enthusiast’s heart desire?
Layout of the Frauscher 650 Alassio
With its sleek hull design, the 650 Alassio turns heads even whilst in harbour – all the more so in the special ‘Wham!’ edition we tested. The colour scheme is reminiscent of 1960s Pop Art. The boat is divided into two areas: on the one hand, the cockpit with two freely movable armchairs and a stern bench seat, protected if required by a bimini that can be erected in just a few simple steps. And on the other hand, the large sun lounger, measuring 1.62 metres by 1.80 metres, at the stern with direct access to the swim platform.
The easiest way to board is from the stern. The retractable swim ladder is neatly stowed beneath the platform. Teak is standard on the swim platform, as well as in the cockpit and on the deck. The aft sun lounger has a raised headrest and is long enough for even adults to lounge on comfortably.
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There is space under the sun lounger for the motor and the batteries – on the test boat, which was fitted with a pod propulsion system and just two 6-kWh lithium batteries, there was plenty of storage space left here for the canopy, life jackets and other equipment. A cool box is built into the space beneath the aft bench seat, and next to it there is further storage space for bags and jackets. Mobile phones and other small items are safely stowed in the side ‘swallow’s nests’. These storage compartments can even be fitted with lighting on request.
The driver and front passenger sit in the freely adjustable seats mentioned earlier. Given that the 650 Alassio is usually an extremely comfortable boat to travel in, this is an easy choice. The gently curved, frameless windscreen complements the design and lines of the boat. The driver enjoys a good all-round view; the few controls are neatly arranged on the dashboard and within easy reach. The small display shows all relevant data – such as power consumption, battery charge level and range – at all times. Depending on the motorisation, additional configurations and settings can be adjusted here.
BOOTE rating
Whilst the electric boat market is currently facing challenges, Frauscher demonstrates that an established company with a broadly diversified range can hold its own successfully. The 650 Alassio is an all-round excellent boat for relaxing days on the lake. If you’re mainly looking to swim, sunbathe and enjoy a leisurely cruise, this is an excellent choice.
Design and Concept
Attractive design
Athletic physique
A well-established shipyard with many years’ experience in building electric boats
Driving and steering
Smooth ride
Housing and build quality
Plenty of space as a day boat
Construction quality is, as is typical of Frauscher, of a very high standard
Equipment and Technology
A choice of different motors and matching battery systems
The Frauscher 650 Alassio in detail
Technical Specifications
- CE design category: D / 5 people
- Total length: 6.50 m
- Width: 2.17 m
- Draught: 0.65 m
- Clearance height: 1.20 m
- Weight: from 950 kg
- Engine: Electric motor
- Engine specifications for the test boat: Kräutler Pod 11 kW
- Performance: 4.3–50 kW
- Batteries: 2 x 6 kW lithium
- Kilograms per kW: 86.3
- Shipyard: frauscherboats.com
- Sales of test boats: frauscher-duesseldorf.com
Engine
- Manufacturer: Herbalist
- Type: Pod
- Quantity: 1
- Performance: 11 kW
- Weight: 61 kg
- Voltage: 48 volts
Fuel consumption/range
- Drive: 11 kW Kräutler electric motor (ACVS 11.0, Pod drive, brushless asynchronous DC motor), batteries: 2 x 6 kWh lithium, voltage: 48 volts
- Cruising speed: 10 km/h
- Fuel consumption: 2.55 kW (53 A)
- Theoretical range: 47 km
- Top speed: 16 km/h
- Fuel consumption: 15 kW (312.5 A)
- Theoretical range: 13 km
Handling characteristics
The 650 Alassio features a sleek hull design that minimises water resistance. For electric boats, this is a key factor in increasing the range. Nevertheless, it is important to navigate with care: doubling the speed requires around eight times the power. It is therefore essential to check the battery charge level from time to time.
Motorisation
Frauscher offers the 650 Alassio with a range of electric motor configurations. The test boat was fitted with a Kräutler pod drive delivering 11 kW. The boat builder states that, with two 6-kWh batteries, this provides a range of over 45 km at 10 km/h. The top speed is 16 km/h. With the most powerful motorisation (50 kW), speeds of 30 km/h can be achieved.
Price and specifications of the Frauscher 650 Alassio
- Price: from €143,775
- Facilities: Small but stylish. Frauscher pays close attention to many details to give the 650 Alassio a high-quality look: retractable stainless steel cleats, stainless steel handrails, a leather bathing grab rail – naturally matching the colour scheme – teak, and a tidy cockpit. A fridge drawer, a sound system and even the bow thruster are all included as standard.
Alternatives on the market
Rand Source 23
The hulls and deck layout of this boat from Denmark look significantly more modern, and the electric motor is also considerably larger (50 kW). Nevertheless, it is a good alternative. Price: from €95,081
Marian Magic 640
Another electric boat from Austria is the Marian Magic 640. This boat is a good alternative to the Frauscher. It is based on the same concept and has a similar design. Price: from €61,880
X-Shore 1
The X-Shore 1 is the Swedish version. It has a more Nordic style – simpler, but also of good build quality. This time, it’s even made of carbon fibre. The engine is also significantly larger (125 kW). Price: €153,510
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