DesignBoats and Torqeedo, the arm and the mind that gave birth to “Chill” the new boat from the well-known Swiss production company. The project presents a boat that focuses not only on electric power supply, but also on aesthetics, pushing towards a higher level. After all, we are talking about a company that over the years has won prestigious awards all over the world for the design of its vessels.
To fulfil this idea, the Swiss boat builder decided to rely on Torqeedo’s technology to offer a product that truly lived up to its expectations. Let’s take a close look to the creation that was produced thanks to Torqeedo and the creative mind of Peter Minder.
The idea behind the DesignBoats project
Ever since his company was born, almost 20 years ago, Peter Minder has always looked straight towards the future, “swimming” against the tide. And that’s what he has always done without ever being discouraged by any obstacles. His shipbuilding company has become a point of reference, precisely because it has been able to create trends and propose boats that could overturn the original and “classic” proposals of the sector. Goodbye to sober minimalism, so to speak!
And this is how his small Swiss company has become a point of reference for the market. A growing niche in the industry has noticed that the minimalist approach to design is running out of time especially as customers are always looking for something different.
A chic style with high tech notes
Chill is therefore a mix of ideas, of concepts that come to life in a simple but complete way. The goal has always been to implement the offering with several features that have never been seen on the water before. And the real inspiration for Minder came from the cars of the past, racing cars like Mercedes Silver Arrows, Porsche 356 and the iconic Austin -Healeys and Morgans.
Starting from these famous cars, the company has worked to produce an ideal combination of retro, chic, and more modern styles. And certainly, in terms of design, the hull is successful from all points of view:
- It features soft but well-defined lines and shapes
- It has an aggressive and decisive look
- It manages to keep faith with classic styles while relying on a modern electric motor
All this has been made possible without having to give up its features, which we will discuss below. We are therefore faced with an ultra-light hull, with a high-quality high-tech construction.
Chill’s electric drive system
A separate chapter must certainly be devoted to its electric motor. As explained by Minder, there are more and more water sports enthusiasts who want to look for something new, which is detached from the classic concept of a gas-intensive sports boat. This attitude is no longer considered socially compatible, and it’s now considered dutiful and necessary to take measures.
The boat is powered by a 3 or 6 kW Torqeedo pod drive, it uses plug-and-play technology that ideally fulfills all the objectives that Minder had set itself. The standard configuration includes a 5-kWh battery which is placed on the bow. If, on the other hand, you opt for a plus version, you can take advantage of a second battery installed in the stern.
The reason is soon revealed: 2 things are needed for an electric boat, namely maximum efficiency, and effectiveness. The company manages to achieve this goal with optimally calculated underwater geometries.
Electric recharging investments
Talking about Torqeedo batteries, it’s clear that they will need to be recharged for the boat to function safely and effectively. The battery is recharged during the night, with the typical shore supply: Chill uses 1 kW of propulsive power and will be able to sail for up to 10 hours at long range.
By setting an optimal cruising speed of 10 km/h, it is possible to navigate for 100km. At that point the boat will have to be recharged during the night at a 230V socket. And the merit of this factor is related to Torqeedo’s components.
Peter Minder has shown great respect for Torqeedo ‘s systems, which come from a single source of high quality. They marry perfectly with the Chill project, which thus manages to be fascinating, comfortable, and elegant.
A reliable collaboration that allows the DesignBoats team to make the most of their skills effectively.
So, what more can be said about Chill? Chill is a boat capable of attracting attention and the gaze thanks to its aggressive bow, similar to an axe. Its profile looks, in all respects, like a racing car, ready to hit the road (or the water in this case!). And we certainly cannot fail to mention its electric drive system.
It’s the shipyard’s first model with an electric motor, and it’s certainly destined to be remembered over time.