Beyond Sustainability: How E1 Powerboats Redefine Electric Motorsport

DUBROVNIK, CROATIA - JUNE 12: Rianna O’Meara-Hunt (NZL) and Timmy Hansen (SWE) from Team Miami compete during the E1 Series Dubrovnik GP qualifying on June 12, 2026. (Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images) Getty Images

Electric racing began in 2014 with Formula E, aiming to showcase the allure of battery-powered vehicles and promote a greener future for transportation. Over a decade later, the electric racing landscape has transformed considerably. The newest series, E1, featuring all-electric hydrofoiling RaceBird boats racing in waterfront cities worldwide, now finds itself at a different juncture in the market.

While still promoting clean technology, E1's leadership believes sustainability alone is no longer sufficient to capture public interest.

E1 founder Alejandro Agag, Sports.com Predict Team Miami pilots Timmy Hansen and Rianna O’Meara-Hunt, and Sports.com Predict Team Miami team principal Steve Curtis discussed the rapidly evolving championship. Agag, who has launched electric motorsport series before, observed a shift in public conversation surrounding electrification.

He believes that sustainability has lost its appeal, partly due to activists causing harm to the cause through actions like destroying art or blocking highways. Agag argues that environmental benefits have become less relevant as electric mobility now appeals to practical reasons, particularly in the personal car market. He noted that China is not leading in the electric car market due to sustainability concerns, but rather due to the affordability and superior quality of Chinese-made electric vehicles.

Agag emphasizes that established manufacturers in the global market will need to match these standards of price and quality if they wish to remain competitive.

In terms of electrifying water, Agag sees opportunities, especially for small crafts in lakes and rivers, where regulations are likely to ban combustion engines due to pollution concerns. E1 aims to accelerate the development of electric boat technology by providing a competitive testing environment. However, team principal Steve Curtis, with over three decades of experience in high-performance marine applications, points out that electric boats face challenges due to constant resistance from water, limited charging infrastructure, and prohibitive power requirements for longer distances.

Curtis believes that high-performance electric boats currently struggle to match the power of traditional combustion engines and thus may not succeed in the fastest categories of offshore racing. Nevertheless, Curtis remains open to the potential of hybrid systems, which he believes could play a significant role in enhancing the efficiency and performance of electric boats.