The First Fully Electric Venetian Water Taxi Can Cruise the Canals All Day
A stalwart of the Venice canals has been reimagined for the 21st century.
Repower, a pioneer in sustainable mobility, has unveiled what it claims is the first fully electric Venetian water taxi. Christened Lucietta , the new 30-footer combines the charm of the city's classic taxis with the latest green technologies and modern materials.
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The battery-powered boat, which debuted at the Venice Boat Show earlier this year, was designed in collaboration with Milan-based Nauta Yachts and built by Murano-based Cantiere Serenella. A selection of Venetian water taxi drivers also helped shape the design, outlining the necessary specifications for vessels of the lagoon.
Roughly seven feet wide and high, Lucietta can navigate the tight, poky, and often overfilled waterways of Venice with ease. "The dimensions of Venice's water taxis are dictated by the city itself—its canals, bridges, and moorings," Massimo Gino of Nauta Yachts said in a statement. "Therefore, construction height, maximum width, and length must adhere to very precise constraints." The newcomer is certainly compact but still offers more onboard space than traditional taxis, with the ability to ferry up to 14 people around the city.
Lucietta also showcases innovative materials that are a cut above the usual wood. The vessel features a carbon-fiber hull and also incorporates recycled glass from Murano glassworks, making it sporty, sustainable, and stylish.
The compact 30-footer has no problem passing under Venice's many bridges.
"Starting from a meticulous study of the original drawings of old taxis and interviews with taxi drivers, we defined the essential upgrades to design the electric taxi for the new millennium," explains Gino. "Repower's Lucietta represents a modern reinterpretation of the Venetian taxi, featuring stylistic elements that evoke the appeal of electric vehicles, making its sustainable core immediately recognizable."
Lucietta is obviously cleaner and more discreet than the standard taxi, too. A 200 kW electric motor powered by a 180 kWh battery pack allows the boat to reach a top speed of 30 knots (about 35 mph) with minimal noise and vibrations and no harmful emissions. Perhaps more importantly, Lucietta can spend an entire workday cruising at the regulated speeds in the lagoon (2 to 5 mph) without needing to recharge.
Repower isn't the only company turning to green technology to help preserve the historic but highly polluted city: Nuvolari Lenard unveiled a 14-seat hybrid water taxi back in 2020. "Electric boating represents a crucial part of the revolution that has been underway for years in the sustainable mobility and tourism sector," adds Repower Italia CEO Fabio Bocchiola. "This revolution is progressing at varying speeds, partly due to an evolving geopolitical landscape that has pushed many countries to adopt new policies and rethink their overall energy transition strategies."
The Swiss company is at least getting Lucietta into the will be a star at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival from August 27 to September 6.
Click here to see all the photos of Lucietta.
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