In Venice, on the occasion of the Venice Nautical Salone 2025, Lucietta was presented, the first fully electric propulsion Venetian taxi. Developed by Repower, this boat is not only an innovation from a technological point of view, but also a commitment to a more sustainable mobility. But what changes compared to traditional petrol boats?
The project for the construction of the electric boat
Let’s start with the dimensions: the boat is 9.20 meters long, for 2.20 in width, like any Venetian taxi. The space available at the stern, however, is greater, since the electric motor is smaller. In fact, in today’s taxis the stern, that is, the terminal part of the boat, is occupied entirely by the endothermic engine. Here, however, the space has been used for additional sessions. This is the second large revolution in over 100 years of Venetian taxis. The first had been in the 70s, when – with the introduction of the Poppiero foot – the engine had been moved from the bow to the stern of the boat, eliminating the long axis line transmission.
To make the most of the characteristics of the electrical propulsion, new fluidinomous studies have been carried out, with the aim of limiting waste of energy and generating a lower wave motion compared to today’s taxis. In the design phase, the Venetian taxi drivers were also involved, who, through a questionnaire, indicated what were the untouchable things and what the things that wanted to improve. This is because the measures aboard a taxi are fundamental, since they have to pass through the channels and under the bridges of Venice, where the maneuverability is often the little to say the least. The result was the design of a boat that adapts to the characteristics of the city and that respects the aesthetic canons of the Venetian taxi boats in all respects.
In addition to the advantage of space, those concerning noise and vibrations are also added to an electric boat, which are absent with an electric motor. Without forgetting the absence of exhaust fumes, for greater attention also of the impact that this means of transport has on the delicate balance of the Venice lagoon.
How much autonomy does an electrical taxi boat have?
As you know an electric motor needs batteries to work. On board Lucietta there are 9 20 kWh batteries each, for a total capacity of 180 kWh. The engine, on the other hand, has a power of 200 kW, equal to about 270 horsepower. This means being able to compete, for autonomy and maximum speed, with a classic endothermic motor taxi: in fact, a complete recharge is enough to cover a whole day of service, with speed tips of 28/30 knots, i.e. just over 50 km/h. Although – it must be specified – the maximum speed allowed in Venice remains 20 km/h, which drops to 7 in the channels.
To reach the same performance as the endothermic taxi, it was also chosen to build a carbon hull, a lighter material than the glass fiber usually used, with a particular underground infusion technique. How does it work? Compared to the traditional system, which involves applying the resin with a roll, such as a painting, this technique consists in injecting, through the tubes, the resin in the frames of the frame, while, at the same time, it is aspired to the other end. In this way, the fibers of the frame are steeped from the resin in vacuum condition, guaranteeing better compactness and therefore an even better relationship between the efficiency and weight of the material.
Curiosity: for some elements and finishes, “Rehub” was involved, a Murano startup that developed a trial to obtain these materials from the recovery of the gambles of the Vetrerie.
The comparison between electric taxi and petrol taxi
Reaching the same performance levels is almost always the last obstacle to overcome for an electrical vehicle, since it then offers greater advantages of consumption, emissions and maintenance. Think, for example, of the review costs of the mechanical parts, which are not there on an electric boat. According to an estimate of Repower, the total annual costs of this electric taxi amount to about 50% less than the endothermic consideration. Only by considering the consumption of fuel and the oil change, the savings between the two solutions rises to 90%.
And what about security instead? Just as you can’t get the shock while charging the car in the rain, so you can’t take it while you are on a pier. The nautical sector is subject to the same doubts that had accompanied the arrival of electric cars, but also here both the batteries and the recharging sockets must meet specific safety requirements to be used. Then there are waterproofing and self-reinforcement systems that ensure that the engine can always do its job. And in any case the electrical control unit is able to interrupt energy exchanges to the first emergency signal.
