Veer X13: An Electric Boat Option Designed for First-Time Boaters
The new boat brand Veer aims to attract modern, tech-savvy boaters. Offering user-friendly features, the Veer X13 is designed to handle an electric outboard motor.
Veer is a new boat brand designing boats for those who want to go electric on the water. From the engineering team at Lund Boats, the first model is a 13-footer. The Veer X13 launched at CES this week, aiming the new line at the next generation of boaters.
This is the 18th boat brand from parent company Brunswick, the largest pleasure boat company in the world. So it’s no fly-by-night startup. The company has plenty of experience on lakes, rivers, and streams. The big corporate backing is why it was designed by the engineering team at industry leader Lund Boats.
Veer X13 Electric Boat: New Brand, Plenty of Experience
The Veer X13 uses a rotomolded polyethylene hull. The shallow draft design lets boaters get close up to areas they might not have explored before. And yes, that means it’s plastic. But the benefits of polyethylene over fiberglass include lower cost and higher durability. It’s an ideal combination when you’re trying to bring new boaters onto the scene.
Of course, there are also downsides of polyethylene hulls. They’re less rigid than fiberglass or aluminum. They also have looser molding tolerances and tend to looks less snazzy. But for the small boat/entry market, these issues are largely unimportant.
“Recreational boating and fishing are enjoying increasing popularity with younger and more diverse consumers,” said Matt Atilano, Veer’s director of strategy. “We identified a gap in the marketplace and a need to create a more targeted and modern experience for these new boaters, which inspired the design and development of the Veer brand.”
Veer Will Offer Electric Outboard Power
Veer will make the X13 available with a 9.9 horsepower Mercury Marine outboard as standard. The gas engine should give it lightweight and durable performance, as well as a lower-priced entry point.
What has us intrigued, though, is that the intended power plant is the optional Mercury Avator 7.5e electric outboard. That’s an all-new electric outboard design that was also just introduced at CES.
The 7.5e Avator offers a 1kW lithium-ion battery that slides under the cover on top of the motor for quick removal and easy charging. It also lets you bring along a spare battery (or even multiple spares) for longer days on the water and less worry about range anxiety.
A display on the motor shows you important information like real-time speed, range estimates, and remaining runtime. The Avator system also gives you smartphone-enabled information like a visual range estimate shown on your map.
With electric power, this should be a low-maintenance boating option — another strong appeal for those new to the water.
The Veer X13 offers a max weight capacity of 550 pounds, enough for two passengers and plenty of fishing gear.
Veer includes a corrosion-resistant galvanized trailer as standard equipment. The total weight of the boat, trailer, and motor is just 835 pounds. That’s light enough to let you tow it behind almost any car or small crossover equipped with a hitch and trailer wiring.
The brand offers many accessories, including a mooring cover, shallow-water anchor, and a standing bar. That bar is ideal for moving around the boat while you’re on the water or bracing yourself against it while fishing.
Veer X13 Electric Boat: For a New Generation of Boaters
“Our target consumer is looking for a brand that brings new energy and new thinking to the outdoor experience,” said Atilano. “Through Veer, we look forward to delivering on these desires and on Brunswick’s promise to expand access to the water and democratize boating.”
The Veer X13 will be available starting this spring, and orders should open soon. Pricing starts at $11,995 with a gas motor and trailer. Expect pricing for the electric version to come later.
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