Electric Boats and Ships

Book excerpt: Electric propulsion for boats was developed in the early 19th century and--despite the advent of the internal combustion engine--continued with the perfecting of the modern turbo-electric ship. Sustainable and hybrid technologies, pioneered in small inland watercraft toward the end of the 20th century, have in recent years been scaled up to create integrated electric drives for the largest ocean-going vessels. This comprehensive history traces the birth and rebirth of the electric boat from 1835 to the present, celebrating the Golden Age of electric launches, 1880-1910.