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Marell high-speed boat powered by electric Scania solution

10 JUNE 2024

Marell Boats founder and owner Patrik Söderholm makes fast aluminium patrol boats running on electricity. The journey of a lifetime all began in his grandfather’s fishing boat.

“To respect the sea, not to fear it” are the words of wisdom from Patrik Söderholm’s grandfather, the fisherman. He spent a lot of time at sea at a young age, which taught him how a boat should behave. “That laid the foundation for who I am today, and that I love to be far out at sea.” Encouraged by his sons Marcus, Rasmus and Linus – whose first letters inspired the company name, Patrik started Marell Boats. 

Joining forces

In a partnership with Scania, Marell is developing hybrid and high-performing crafts. The M17 Patrol is the latest addition to the fleet – an energy-efficient hybrid high-speed craft. This is enabled by combining Scania’s hybrid technology with Marell’s technical boatbuilding craftsmanship.

The Marell M17 is a 17.4-metre aluminium patrol boat with a speed of up to 55 knots. It has a Scania hybrid system, with two 230 kW electric machines and four battery packs with 104 kWh per battery. A couple of Scania V8s with 1150 HP are there for support. This installation is typical to many and meets the demands of the police and other governmental bodies requesting high-performance boats that operate at high speeds during long-distance transits with low environmental impact and quietly and efficiently in harbours.

Building and constructing

Building a boat like this takes expertise. Something Patrik sure has: “I started welding as a young teenager. It’s safe to say that the pure interest has taught me how a boat works and should be constructed.” He says it’s about production technology, performance and to make it last: “If you can build, then you can construct it too.”

The M17 is a significant milestone in Marell Boats’ hybrid and electrification journey. Together with Scania, they want to lead the shift towards a sustainable maritime transport system.