How to accelerate the electrification of recreational boats

When we talk about electrification, most people probably think of cars. But along the coast there is another source of emissions that is rarely mentioned in the climate debate. In Sweden and Norway alone, there are over a million recreational boats. Together, they emit over 400,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year – more than domestic flights in Sweden (approximately 350,000 tonnes of CO₂ in 2023, according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency).

"You notice it when you're standing down in the harbour; it smells of diesel and is very noisy," says Cecilia Strokirk, project manager at RISE.

Only 4 per cent of recreational boats are powered by electricity

The market for electric recreational boats is in its early stages. Today, only 4 per cent of recreational boat owners have an electric boat (Boating Survey 2025, Swedish Transport Agency). The rapid development that has taken place in the automotive industry has been almost completely absent when it comes to recreational boats. Demand has been considered too low.

At the same time, it is a paradox – interest in electric boats is high among boaters.

As part of the EU-funded Interreg project go:LEIF, which has investigated how the electrification of recreational boats can be accelerated in the Skagerrak region, surveys and interviews have been conducted with Swedish and Norwegian boat owners.

The results show that there is a strong desire to do so. Reducing emissions is an important factor, but there is also a desire for a quieter environment at sea.

"People want to enjoy themselves throughout their entire trip, not just where they stop. There is a great deal of interest in being able to experience nature in a better way with electric boats," says Cecilia Strokirk.

Other advantages were also pointed out, such as simpler and cheaper maintenance.

Price and range concerns hinder electrification

So why is electrification progressing so slowly? Part of the reason is that electric boats are still expensive, as the market is still small. But there are many other challenges – many recreational boat owners are concerned about range and charging infrastructure.

Developments in passenger and transport traffic by sea are progressing much more rapidly.

"The routes are predictable and charging can be designed at the fixed quays. There is a much clearer schedule than when a regular boat owner jumps into their leisure boat and sets off. It's a challenge," says Cecilia Strokirk.

The goal of the go:LEIF project, which was completed at the turn of 2025/2026, has been to create better conditions for the electrification of recreational boats by building knowledge, testing solutions and developing business models for charging infrastructure.

"We have been working with test beds in various ports. Charging stations have been installed, but we have also looked at how charging can be combined with existing infrastructure, for example through jetties or combined car and boat charging," says Cecilia Strokirk.

How the transition can take the next step

The question now is how the transition can take the next step. There are many obstacles along the way – from seasonal variations, recreational boats are not used year-round to the same extent as passenger cars, to power requirements and grid dimensioning in the archipelago.

Perhaps a charging station on an island needs to be combined with solar power and a battery.

"You also have to take the environment and detailed plans into account. In this case, an extended jetty, i.e. the outlet you have at your berth in your home harbour, can be a good way to enable you to charge your electric boat," says Cecilia Strokirk.

Following go:LEIF, a strategy and guidance document, "Electrification of recreational boats", has been produced for ports and municipalities. It brings together knowledge from the project that can provide guidance for those who want to electrify – whether it is a small marina or a larger municipality-owned port.

RISE can also assist with electrification projects in ports.

"We can contribute the knowledge and expertise we have gathered within go:LEIF. This involves a number of areas of expertise and details that we have developed. We can definitely be involved in starting projects, or help to investigate needs, conduct preliminary studies and so on," says Cecilia Strokirk.

National cooperation is needed to bring about change

In the long term, national cooperation is also required to bring about change.

So far, it's a bit of a catch-22 situation. As long as there isn't sufficient infrastructure for electric recreational boats, it's difficult for the boating industry to make the transition – after all, no one wants to buy a boat that's difficult to use to its full potential.

This requires cooperation between ports, municipalities, energy companies and technology companies – but also political decisions.

"There is considerable interest in electrification among recreational boat owners. However, if it is to be driven by the private sector, without government subsidies for electric boats and without a decision to electrify everything in a harbour, then it will proceed very slowly," says Cecilia Strokirk.