Nominations open for 2024 ‘Gussies’ electric boat awards
Nominations for the fifth annual Gustave Trouvé Awards for Excellence in Electric Boats and Boating, also known as ‘The Gussies,’ are now open. The awards were established in 2020 by Plugboats.com, a news magazine focused on electric boats. This year, nine categories and subcategories will feature:
- Electric boats up to 8 metres/26ft: serial production, in development
- Electric boats over 8m/26ft: serial production, in development
- Electric boats for paying passengers: serial production, in development
- Electric sail boats
- Customised/refitted/DIY electric boats
- Electric work boats
The Gussies are the only international boating awards that focus exclusively on electric boats and recognise craft already in production as well as concept boats and those in the late development stage. Last year’s winners included boats from Axopar, Nero Yachts and Artemis Technologies.
The 2024 awards are presented by Aqua superPower, BlueNav, and Oceanvolt. “I would like to thank Aqua superPower, BlueNav and Oceanvolt for their support in presenting the 2024 awards,” says Jeff Butler, publisher of Plugboats and founder of the Trouvé Awards. “They are all major contributors to the transition of marine propulsion away from fossil fuels, and their sponsorships demonstrate their commitment to stimulating and celebrating the growth of electric boat and boating technology.”
Nominations now open
Boats can be nominated by members of the public, manufacturers, or industry representatives. The full nomination criteria and entry form are available on the Plugboats website.
The Gussies were created to recognise inventors, designers, manufacturers, and visionaries advancing clean, quiet, zero-emission technologies in marine propulsion. The awards honour Gustave Trouvé, a French inventor with over 75 patents, including the first outboard boat motor used on his electric boat Le Téléphone.
Since their inception, the Gussies have grown to become the only international boating awards focused exclusively on electric boats. In 2020, 50 boats were nominated from 19 countries. By 2023, this had grown to 160 boats from 24 countries, highlighting the increasing interest in electric boating. Winners have been selected from 19 countries, including the UK, USA, France, China, and others.
The global electric boat market is projected to reach US$19.09bn by 2031.
Finalist and winner selection
The selection process for winners combines online public voting and input from an international panel of industry experts. Finalists are chosen by the panel, with public voting contributing 25 per cent of the final decision. The expert panel, composed of electric boat associations, industry experts, and past winners, contributes 75 per cent.
Panel members for 2024 include six new winners from the 2023 edition: Axopar, Nero Yachts, Soel Yachts, FarEast Boats, Tideman Boats, Artemis Technologies, alongside representatives from electric boat associations worldwide. IEMA (International Electric Marine Association), which advocates for zero-emission marine policies, is a new addition to the panel.
“It is remarkable to see the growth of electric boats since the first Gussies in 2020,” says Butler. “The number of designers and manufacturers advancing e-boating technology continues to grow globally. Past winners are eager to support the industry by serving on the panel to reward excellence in electric marine propulsion.”
The global electric boat market is projected to reach US$19.09bn by 2031.
Timeline for ‘Gussies’ electric boat awards 2024
- 1 October 2024: Nominations open
- 25 October 2024: Nominations close (midnight EST)
- 2 November 2024: Finalists announced and public voting begins
- 30 November 2024: Winners announced
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