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Electric vehicles were born after the creation of the electric motor by Joseph Henry, an American, in 1830. Four years later, Thomas Davenport, an American of Scottish origin, built the first usable electric vehicle. At the same time, the research and discoveries of the Count of Molin in Paris, of Von Jacobi (he sailed a large machine on the Neva) in St. Petersburg and of Gaston Plante (he created the rechargeable battery in 1859), allowed the Parisian Gaston Plante (chemist and designer of the first electric car) to design the first electric boat in 1881. This prototype's electricity was produced by a set of potassium dichromate batteries placed in the middle of the boat and linked to two flexible cables that transmitted the current to the motor. These cables were also used to steer the rudder.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, approximately fifty companies had already produced close to 34,000 electric vehicles. These electric motor vehicles quickly became more popular than the explosion engine vehicles because they did not need to be manually ignited. However, this fad died out in 1912 when Charles Kettring created the electric starter to ignite the explosion engine.
Sixty years later, the petroleum crisis and the fears related to the negative impact of hydrocarbon combustion on the environment renewed general interest in electric vehicles. Initiated by the United States and Great Britain in the early 1980s, this renewed interest was shared by all of North Western Europe. France's market, especially, has shown an annual growth rate of more than 10% ever since and ranks third in the industry in Europe, behind Switzerland and Austria.
This new orientation motivated The Canadian Electric Boat Company (CEBC) to design and build electric pleasure boats for a high-end market that includes customers who like to take the time to enjoy their surroundings with friends. The first boat, with classical lines borrowed from early twentieth century boat models, had to be silent, non polluting, easy to steer and capable of lodging four people comfortably. Furthermore, it had to be solid, reliable and economical, as well as low maintenance while providing all the modern technologies.
The Quietude 156 was created by two designers, Ian Bruce and Paul Deutschman, and a modeler, M. Lepage. Ian Bruce, creator of the famous drifter LASER, designed the hull, while Paul Deutschman, a high-performance automobile designer, worked with the CEBC on the design of the deck and the binnacle. The Quiétude 156's conversion to digital and model building were done by M. Lepage.
Ian Bruce, twice champion of the International 14 and winner of numerous international sailing championships, navigated in two Olympic Games (once in the Finn and once in the Star). Furthermore, he built 12 classes of recognized sailboats. Now President of PS2000 (Performance Sailcraft 2000), Ian Bruce designed the new drifter, Byte.
In collaboration with Callaway and IVM, Paul Deutschman worked on the design and the final model building of Callaway C-12, C-8 and C-7 and participated in the design of the fastest automobile in the world, the Callaway Corvette (406 km/hr on a closed course). He contributed to the smooth transition from the initial design to the final product of the Bombardier VTT Traxter, developed Dynastie's "IT" electric proximity vehicle, designed the T-Rex (three-wheel car) for Deutschman Design and collaborated on the design of the Millenium, which signals the start of a new era in terms of ambulance design. Finally, as President of Spex Design, Paul Deutschman was chosen to design a futurist Porsche Speedster: the Spexter (which inspired Porsche's new orientation for the design of its cars). Invited to participate in the 2003 Pan-European Automotive Design Summit in Barcelona, Paul Deutschman also took part in the "form vs. function" discussions with the heads of Renault, Volvo, Mercedes, Mini (BMW) design studios and the Pasadena Art Center in California.
Following the Quietude 156's success, the CEBC's new market analysis indicated that a more spacious version of this type of electric boat would be greatly appreciated by customers. Consequently, Paul Deutschman and M. Lepage once again joined the CEBC team to work on the design of a new high-end electric boat, based on the proven features of the Quiétude 156. Luc St-Onge, a naval architect, also joined the team. The Fantail 217, which combined the refined lines of early twentieth century boats and advanced technology, was born at the end of 2001.
The company's objective is to become a major force in the electric boat industry worldwide by offering a new lifestyle thanks to its classical, reliable and high-quality boats. The CEBC is presently collaborating with various partners. Its classical mahogany and teak wood boats, equipped with non polluting electric motors, attract attention around the globe.
The CEBC is committed to providing reliable, high-quality products with outstanding design and originality. From design to manufacturing, high standards have been set to ensure customer satisfaction and pride as owners of CEBC electric boats.
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