Featuring an eclectic mix of cars and boats.
What floats the boat of the Fully Charged crew? Well, when they are in the Netherlands, it appears to be the creations from New Electric. This Amsterdam (or should we say "Amp"sterdam?) outfit has been putting electric drivetrains in all manner of vehicles for some years now. Headed by Anne Kloppenborg, it first started with one small (and very cool) Delta runabout. Now, its fleet includes a number of boats and a variety of road cars.
Cruise some other electric boat posts
When hosts Robert Llewellyn and Jonny Smith arrive at the New Electric premises they are greeted by a small flotilla of conversions the shop has created over the past few years. There's an awesome looking 1969 Jeep CJ-5 (more on that below) attached to a boat trailer holding an electric speedboat; there's a classic Volvo 240 wagon, which we can't help but adore; a Jaguar XJS of late 80's/ early 90's vintage, its V12 gas guzzler replaced by twin electric motors gets its lengthy hood lifted.
It's when Fully Charged moves from the front of the shop to the dock in the back that things get even more interesting. While New Electric is certainly converting some interesting cars, its boats are possibly more impressive. The first example they board is a prime example. It's a tanky tugboat made for pushing barges (up to 85 tones!) through the narrow Amsterdam canals. It really puts the electric drivetrain to work. Literally.
The visit ends with a trip in the loveliest vessel in the New Electric fleet: the limousine-like Silverback. This craft is just so gorgeous. With its 30-plus-kWh battery, it can put-put glide through the city's waterways for the better part of a day. If it needs to, though, its got the power to break the in-town speed limit in a hurry.
If the footage here isn't quite enough to quench your New Electric conversion thirst, we've got a couple bonus clips below. The first features that '69 Jeep romping about. The second is a slightly longer video produced to show off both the original Delta runabout as well as the big Silverback. Enjoy!
