Slow sessions: electric canal boat holidays in Europe

Picture a week on a canal. Locks, villages, bakeries at breakfast, a glass of wine on deck at sunset. Now take away the engine noise and the diesel smell. That is an electric canal holiday.

Canals suit electric perfectly. Speeds are low, days are short, and the route is fixed, so chargers can be placed exactly where boats need them.

We looked at where you can rent electric canal boats and houseboats in Europe today.

The line-up: electric canal boats to rent

Sources: Boat Industry, Plugboats, Canal Boats Telemark.

Alsace with Nicols: the charger-lined break

Nicols, a French rental company that builds its own river cruisers, runs an electric version of its 13.5 m Sixto Green on an Alsace canal section. Voies Navigables de France installed 10 rapid chargers over about 100 km, roughly one to one and a half hours of cruising apart (Boat Industry).

Nicols says the boats give 6 to 8 hours of cruising per charge and recharge in about 2 hours at the dock, against an average day's cruise of 4 to 5 hours. The electric boat is also about 230 kg lighter than the fuel-powered version.

Les Canalous: room for the whole crew

Les Canalous, one of France's largest boat rental companies, runs the Péniche S, a 15 m houseboat with five double cabins for up to 10 people. It has a 20 kW ePropulsion I-20 motor and a 40 kWh battery from four 10 kWh packs (Plugboats).

That makes it one of the few electric options for a family or a group of friends.

Telemark Canal: Norway's electric line-up

Canal Boats Telemark in Porsgrunn rents electric Greenline 33 and 39 cruisers for the coast and the Telemark Canal. There is a network of 21 kW fast chargers along the canal and in Kragerø Rørvik, and any marina with a standard 16 A point works too (Canal Boats Telemark).

The canal has a 5 knot speed limit, and the boats are rated for about 100 km at 5 knots. The boats carry solar panels, but Canal Boats Telemark says these power only the 12 V house systems, not the propulsion battery.

A day on board: the rhythm of the session

The day shapes itself around charging:

1. Cruise in the morning, two or three hours.
2. Stop at a charger for lunch, a village or a lock.
3. Cruise in the afternoon.
4. Plug in for the night at a marina or charging point.

Canal speeds are low, so range goes further than on open water. Check where the chargers are before each day, and keep a reserve. See planning a trip with an electric boat.

Before you book: read the conditions

• Licence. Ask the operator whether you need a licence or a briefing.
• Charging. Ask for a map of charging points and how to use them.
• Season. Check opening dates for the canal and the locks.
• Group size. Most electric options are smaller boats. Les Canalous' Péniche S is the exception for big groups.

Our verdict: the most relaxed way to try electric

So, is an electric canal holiday worth it? If you want to try electric boating without buying anything, it is hard to beat. The pace suits electric, the chargers are on the route and the silence makes the whole trip better.

Book early, plan your days around the chargers and enjoy the quiet. Browse the operators in canal and houseboats, and see more destinations in the best lakes and rivers for electric boats.