Charged EVs | Baltic Yachts electrifies sailing systems with Molabo’s 48-volt motors
Baltic Yachts has been integrating Molabo’s 48-volt electric motors across a range of onboard functions on its sailing yachts—from propulsion and hydraulic sail handling to energy generation. The Finnish builder’s adoption of Molabo’s ARIES drives sidesteps the complexity and certification burden of high-voltage systems while delivering high torque, precise control and significantly reduced noise and vibration.
The low-voltage motors handle deck equipment, keel and rudder actuators, bow and stern thrusters, and parallel hybrid setups for harbor maneuvering. Baltic has also used the drives to generate renewable energy while under sail. In a subtler application, running the motor at very low output—200 to 500 W of electric thrust—can maintain momentum and optimize airflow, improving sail trim efficiency in light winds and helping foiling yachts stay on step.
“While sailing, the 48-volt motors allow us to operate essential systems while minimizing engine and generator runtime, and the high-capacity battery bank provides plenty of storage to power onboard amenities while at anchor,” said Kim Kolam, senior electrical engineer for Baltic Yachts.
Building on the platform, Molabo recently introduced a 50 kW jet drive and a 48 V serial hybrid system with Fischer Panda’s AGT-series generators—originally developed for Team Malizia’s IMOCA racing program. “The spectrum of vessels that can benefit from low-voltage electrification continues to broaden,” said Adrian Patzak, COO of Molabo. “These innovations allow builders to electrify onboard systems, support long-range or shorthanded cruising and power high-demand applications without dealing with high-voltage complexity.”
Source: Molabo
