On the crest of a wave

摘要

Hybrid and pure electric marine vessels (EVs), with electric propulsion some or all of the time, have been around for more than 100 years. The electric boat Lady Lena dates from 1890. Currently, the market for electric and hybrid watercraft is still significantly low, with about 1-2 per cent of the addressable market. Yet over the past 10 years, shaft-driven shipboard mechanical power transmission has been increasingly replaced by electrical power. For example, both the Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer and the Queen Elizabeth carrier are electrically driven. The prime mover is used solely for generating electricity, which is then distributed to various motors, including those driving the propeller shaft(s), and other consumer loads.