ExploMar has successfully defended its Monaco Endurance title, winning the Open Sea Xperience 16-nautical-mile Endurance Championship at the 2026 Monaco Energy Boat Challenge.
The company also secured second place in the Speed Record competition.
ExploMar entered a XNRG 8.3-metre carbon-fibre RIB powered by the ExploMar WAVE 300 electric outboard system in the Endurance Championship, crossing the finish line first in 35 minutes and 24 seconds, nearly nine minutes ahead of the second-place Frauscher × Porsche entry.
Competitors faced Force 4 winds (13.9–20.7 knots) and 1–2 metre waves, creating severe pitching and heaving motions, rapid propeller ventilation and re-immersion that caused dramatic load fluctuations, increased wave-making resistance, and strong headwinds.
The conditions placed extreme demands on the propulsion system’s dynamic response, mechanical robustness, and thermal management capability.
Collaboration
ExploMar engineers built on data collected during last year’s championship and collaborated with Team XNRG to optimise the propulsion system specifically for the conditions.
The torque control strategy was recalibrated to suppress torque oscillations during repeated propeller ventilation and re-entry, while predictive thermal management algorithms were further refined to maintain cooling performance under deteriorating heat dissipation conditions.
Propeller matching also played a critical role. Following extensive engineering simulations and multiple rounds of on-water testing, the team selected a SOLAS 15 × 21 right-hand three-blade propeller, which offered thrust recovery under ventilated wave conditions while maintaining sufficient thrust reserve and cruising speed in the rough seas.
Throughout the race, the boat maintained an average speed of 27 knots over the full 16-nautical-mile, crossed the finish line with 40% battery capacity remaining, and recorded a maximum battery temperature below 45°C, demonstrating significant thermal management margin under sustained high-load operation.
Speed Record
ExploMar had several entries in the Speed Record competion with the XNRG 8.3-metre carbon-fibre RIB powered by the WAVE 300 achieving an average speed of 45.33 knots and a top speed of 48 knots.
An 11-metre Python RIB equipped with twin WAVE 300 maintained 29.58 knots despite a fully loaded displacement of 5.5 tonnes and a 6.5-metre ZAR RIB powered by the WAVE 150+ achieved an average speed of 26.06 knots
A 5-metre Gala RIB equipped with the WAVE 70+ reached 20 knots.
“Winning this championship for the second consecutive year is both an honour and a responsibility for our entire team,” said Alex Dong, founder and CEO of ExploMar.
“Every victory is built upon countless engineering iterations, extensive sea trials, and the dedication of our partners.”
And he said ExploMar will now continue to push the boundaries of electric propulsion performance.
The company is also accelerating its innovations in intelligent vessel control through its new Smart Captain and integrated energy infrastructure with its 5S Energy Station.
