Before we get into the riveting details around new electric jet ski models, let‘s briefly travel through some key milestones that set the stage for today‘s personal watercraft.
Surfing the Waves Throughout Jet Ski History
While Kawasaki brought jet skis into the mainstream starting in 1972, the origins of stand-up personal watercraft actually date back over 50 years prior.
In 1928, Alexander Graham Bell experimented with jet pump systems to propel watercraft over Lake Ontario’s waves. Though rudimentary, Bell’s “hydrodrome” invention marked early explorations with using water jet propulsion for high-speed aquatic mobility.
Fast forward a few decades later, and an American Boeing engineer named Clayton Jacobson II took jet pump prototypes to the next level. By sitting rather than standing on the watercraft, Jacobson created the first modern precursor to jet skis in the mid-1960s.
Dubbed the “Hydrospider”, his personal watercraft reached speeds over 40 mph thanks to a 2-stroke ICE engine powering pump jets. Jacobson continued refining his proprietary design until Kawasaki licensed the technology in the early 1970s.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1928 | Bell Experiments With Jet Pump Watercraft |
| Mid-1960s | Jacobson Creates Sit-Down “Hydrospider” Jet Craft |
| 1972 | Kawasaki Introduces First Mass-Market Jet Ski |
And the rest is history! Jet ski popularity exploded throughout the 1970s and beyond as models became more powerful and lightweight. By the 1990s, major players like Sea-Doo and Yamaha had all firmly established performance-oriented product lines catering to thrill-seeking riders.
Today, the jet ski market continues rapid innovation around maximizing speed, improving handling, and enhancing the overall riding experience.
And now, electrification promises to turn the jet ski world on its head yet again!
The Rise of Electric Jet Skis
While gas engines have dominated jet ski power since inception, electrification aims to make waves in the personal watercraft arena much like the disruption occurring in the automobile sector.
As battery and motor technologies improve by leaps and bounds each year, electric drivetrains can rival and even outperform legacy combustion engines. This proves true across cars, motorcycles…and even jet skis!
Electric jet skis provide practically zero emissions and require far less maintenance while delivering near instantaneous torque. This gives them superior acceleration compared to fuel-burning models.
Let‘s look at some key performance specs between state-of-the-art electric and gas jet ski offerings:
| Specs | Taiga Orca (Electric) | Sea-Doo RXP-X (Gas) |
|---|---|---|
| Top Speed | 65 mph | 65 mph |
| 0-30 mph Acceleration | 3 seconds | 4.2 seconds |
| Max Run Time | 1 hour | 3-4 hours |
Additionally, rapid improvements in battery densities coupled with smart energy recovery during deceleration help electric jet skis achieve speed and range extremely competitive with conventional jet skis.
Taiga Orca Leads the Electric Charge
Founded in 2015, the Montreal startup Taiga Motors made headlines across the powersports industry by unveiling the Orca – the world‘s first commercially available electric jet ski.
Rather than retrofit existing gas models with electric powertrains, Taiga engineered the Orca from scratch to maximize performance.
"We built the Orca around the electric powertrain as opposed to jamming an engine into a machine. By tailoring the whole watercraft to the instant torque and linear acceleration that electric motors provide, the Orca delivers a level of control and agility unmatched by any other jet ski" – Taiga CEO Gabriel Bernatchez
The company offers three Orca models ranging from $15,000 up to $24,000 to suit different rider needs and budgets.
Across all models, the Orca can dash to 30 mph in a blistering 3 seconds thanks to instant 175 horsepower on tap from its permanent magnetic synchronous electric motor. This otherworldly acceleration exceeds even elite supercars!
An intuitive digital dashboard provides GPS-mapping, Bluetooth connectivity, and settings for adjusting acceleration profiles and performance modes during your ride.
Recharging the compact battery pack to 80% capacity takes only 20 minutes on DC fast charging. So you can get back to having silent zero-emission fun on the water in no time!
Overall, Taiga has gone above and beyond to create a jet ski experience that leverages unique strengths of electric drivetrains while setting new benchmarks for the entire personal watercraft industry.
Many reviewers lucky enough to test ride the Orca describe an almost unreal sensation because power delivery feels so instant yet smooth across the RPM range compared to internal combustion engines:
“I had to remind myself that I was riding a silent jet ski and not some sort of hovercraft telepathically synced to my thoughts!”
How Do Electric Jet Skis Stack Against Gas Models?
In many aspects, electric jet skis like Taiga’s Orca provide marked benefits over traditional gas watercraft. Let‘s do a deeper dive on the pros and cons:
Performance
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Instant torque from electric motors allows insane 0-30 mph launch. Try hanging on at full throttle!
- Gas engines can still achieve higher top speeds at very high RPM.
Refueling & Range
⭐⭐⭐⭐
- 20 minutes to fast charge beats lugging gas tanks out on the water.
- But gas models offer 2-3x more max range.
Environmental Impact
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Zero emissions while riding. Much lower lifetime carbon footprint.
- Gas models keep spewing greenhouse gases and pollution.
Ownership Experience
⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Greater simplicity and lower maintenance than gas engines.
- Wider servicing networks for gas jet skis as still more mainstream.
Affordability
⭐⭐⭐
- Upfront cost still very high for bleeding-edge electric models.
- Gas jet skis offer budget-friendly options under $10k.
On balance, electric jet skis like the Orca provide exhilarating, sustainable thrills for eco-conscious riders focused on performance over range. And continued innovation will only close any remaining gaps.
Within the next decade, most major manufacturers will likely phase out fossil fuel watercraft as batteries get cheaper and infrastructure improves. The electric jet ski revolution has just begun!
Parting Thoughts from a Passionate Powersports Fanatic
I don’t know about you, but after researching the dawn of electric jet skis, I’m itching to go carve up some waves on a slick silent ride like the Taiga Orca!
While I still enjoy the smell of 2-stroke exhaust pluming behind me as much as any old-school jet ski aficionado, experiencing next-gen electric performance looks like an absolute blast.
And even though electric jet skis remain a premium product right now, costs over time will surely drop just as with electric cars. This promises to make zipping across lakes and oceans sustainably accessible to more watercraft lovers.
Truly, we stand at the precipice of a golden age of electric personal mobility both on land as well as sea. I say bring on the lightning-quick torque! But my wallet hopes I can resist temptation for another year or two before taking this revolutionary plunge.
Either way, the future looks bright for electrifying opportunities to enjoy boating without compromising our planet for future generations.
Let me know what you think of these game-changing electric jet ski upstarts. Are you itching to go for a silent screaming rip across the waves or still skeptical about batteries replacing good ol’ fossil fuels?
