Innovation

Various factors including sustainability and environmental concerns, technological advancements and innovative materials will have an impact on the boating industry in the future. Elvene introduces solar powered electrical boats for everyone and fights towards clean oceans and ecologically sustainable boating industry. The company is building motorboats that are fully self-sustained. These boats are not only electrically powered but also harness all their energy from solar sources eliminating the requirement for external infrastructure. Hence, these boats operate fully self-sufficiently and quietly producing zero emissions and reducing carbon footprint.

Elvene was founded in 2019 by Emil Finne and a business partner, and in the same year the first prototype was created, preceded by systematic ideation, planning and calculation. The development process, however, has been ongoing for the last 15 to 20 years supported by the founder’s passion for boating. Currently, the company employes six people and has its production in Jakobstad, Finland.

Sustainable Development Goals, adopted in 2015, provide a unified plan for global peace and prosperity (UN, 2023). Elvene is helping to solve goals number 7 by promoting the use of clean and renewable energy sources, number 13 by combating climate change and decreasing the carbon footprint of the boating industry, number 14 by fighting towards clean oceans and number 15 by minimizing noise and air pollution in natural environments and reducing disruption to wildlife.

Inspiration

During COVID-19 with not much to do, Finne had lots of time to sit with his thoughts and finally, after years of dreaming, got the courage and decided to start the company. It all began at the age of 12, when he created his first boat from scratch. Growing up in a city renowned for boat building, Jakobstad, Finne was provided invaluable opportunities to learn from the best. Years of experience in the vehicle industry and the passion for boats and sustainability gave an excellent basis for starting an environmentally friendly boating business.

The inspiration to create Elvene solar powered electrical boats was the concern about the environment and climate change, as the CEO and founder Emil Finne put it, “Enough has not been done to stop it”. Boating is a highly polluting industry, but Elvene is fighting this old commonality and tries to act as green as possible. All their products are designed and created by testing, calculating and trying different solutions to find the best way to build the products sustainably. In Elvene the emissions aren’t just reduced, but they are cut entirely. Finne said it perfectly: “The whole idea is to be green”.

Overall impact

“If you are looking at the boating industry as a whole, it is quite strange, yet one of the biggest sales arguments in year 2023 is that the boat has a bigger engine than the year before” Finne said in the interview. While the automotive industry has established emissions regulations, the boating industry lags behind in this regard. Elvene boats are entirely emission-free when in use, and the only emissions are associated with their production.

Emissions arising from the production of boats are less than 10 percent if you are looking at the whole life cycle of a boat. Therefore, Elvene is now putting their focus on production to find more sustainable alternatives to materials such as glass fiber which is one the most used material for boat hulls. The primary concern in the boating industry is emissions coming from the use of the boat, so Elvene is reforming the whole business with their innovation by completely eliminating these emissions. This has a significant effect on society by giving people options to make better choices when choosing a boat.

Short-term effects arising from this innovation are not that visible even though it has the possibility to reform the business towards more sustainable practices. Boating industry is a conservative business and may require effort and time to change consumer perspectives and attitudes towards environmentally friendly approaches. In contrast, long-term effects are significant as emissions are cut off entirely, reducing water pollution and noise.

Business benefit

The boat industry, among many others, needs to take into account the growing need for environmental protection and innovate continuously in order to discover more sustainable solutions, materials and production techniques. Hence, many consumers and businesses are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their activities and therefore Elvene can attract environmentally conscious customers and businesses looking to reduce their carbon footprint. Additionally, owning an Elvene boat can offer cost savings in the long run as electric boats are often more cost-effective to operate and maintain compared to traditional fossil-fueled boats. The boat produces electricity by itself with the integrated solar panels which means that the price of electricity is zero.

Moreover, the boat industry still lags behind the development compared to other vehicle industries. Therefore, investing in innovative and technologically advanced boats which are simultaneously environmentally friendly can enhance competitiveness and elevate the brand image. Elvene boats are equipped with high-quality and durable solar panels that are capable of enduring tough marine conditions and can also be walked on. Finally, Elvene boats are quieter than traditional boats due to the electric motors that produce less noise than gas engines which can benefit businesses and consumers operating in noise-sensitive areas or ones seeking more peaceful and quiet boating experience.

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Social and environmental benefit

Elvene boats and the innovation itself offer multiple social and environmental advantages. The most significant environmental benefits are cleaner waters and reduced noise pollution. Hence, by cutting off emissions in private boating, especially in areas like the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea, which are heavily polluted, we take significant steps towards cleaner and healthier waters. Noise reduction is an added benefit that is greatly valued by both coastal residents and the wildlife. Additionally, life below water and on land will be thankful for noise reduction.

Furthermore, societal benefits are closely related to the environmental benefits, as reduced noise will also have positive implications for human well-being. Cleaner water leads to a cleaner environment, thus a better environment to live in. Additionally, there are individual-level societal benefits to consider. Electric boats offer long-term cost savings for individuals, as their self-sufficiency leads to reduced expenses, such as fuel costs over time. Investing in an Elvene boat gives a possibility to take part in cutting edge boating- and solar panel technology while also protecting the environment.

Interview

Emil Finne, Founder and CEO