The NV1, from a company called ENVGO, is an electric boat designed to lift its hull clear of the water and travel on hydrofoils — thin underwater wings that raise the craft above the surface as it gains speed. ENVGO describes it as the world’s first performance-class electric hydrofoil, and frames the experience with a simple line: “This isn’t boating—it’s flight.”
The idea behind hydrofoiling is to cut drag. Once the hull leaves the water, the boat rides only on its foils, which reduces resistance, noise, and energy use compared with a conventional planing hull.
How it flies
According to ENVGO, the NV1’s hull lifts at around 20 knots. Below that speed it sits in the water like a normal boat; above it, the foils take over and the hull rises, which the company says removes most of the drag.
Keeping a foiling boat stable is the hard part, and ENVGO says it handles this with an advanced flight control system that makes more than 250 micro-adjustments per second. The company likens the approach to the control discipline used in autonomous aerial systems in defense settings. The boat reaches foiling speed in about seven seconds from a standstill.
Performance figures
ENVGO lists the following headline numbers for the NV1:
- Top speed: 80 km/h (43 knots, roughly 50 mph)
- Cruise speed: 40 km/h (about 22 knots, roughly 25 mph)
- Range at cruise: 100 km (54 nautical miles, about 62 miles)
- 0 to foiling: 7 seconds
- Efficiency gain: 4× compared with conventional craft
The company presents the four-times efficiency figure as what makes electric range practical for a full day on the water, rather than something that leaves owners worried about running the battery down.
Dimensions
The published specifications are:
- Length: 25 ft (about 7.6 m)
- Beam (width): 8.5 ft (about 2.6 m)
- Draft, foils retracted: 32 inches (about 81 cm)
- Draft, foils deployed: 60 inches (about 152 cm)
The two draft figures reflect how the foils extend below the hull when deployed and tuck up when retracted, which matters for running in shallow water versus foiling in open water.
Onboard systems
Beyond raw performance, ENVGO highlights several assistance and convenience features:
- Smart safety: swimmer detection, virtual bumpers, and obstacle avoidance.
- Virtual anchor: an AI-based position-hold function that keeps the boat in place without dropping a traditional anchor, intended for swimming and relaxing.
- Zero maintenance claims: because it’s electric, ENVGO says there are no oil changes and no winterization.
Who designed it
ENVGO attributes the NV1’s design and engineering to two recognized names in marine work. Superyacht designer J. David Weiss is credited with shaping the boat’s exterior and overall presence, while America’s Cup naval architect Steve Killing is credited with the engineering and on-water performance. America’s Cup work and superyacht design are both high-end corners of the boating world, which signals the market ENVGO is aiming at.
Context and limitations
Hydrofoiling itself is not new — sailing foilers and a handful of electric foiling boats already exist — but ENVGO is positioning the NV1 specifically as a performance-class electric option, combining foiling with driver-assistance software.
A few caveats are worth keeping in mind. All of the performance and efficiency figures above are manufacturer-stated and have not been independently verified here. Real-world range and speed on any boat vary with load, water conditions, and how it’s driven. ENVGO also runs defense and commercial divisions alongside its recreational NV1, so some of the underlying technology is shared across applications rather than built solely for leisure buyers.
Availability
ENVGO presents the NV1 through a demo request and direct contact rather than an online checkout. The recreation page invites prospective customers to request a demo or get in touch with the team, and there is no public price listed for the boat. Anyone wanting cost, delivery timelines, or ordering details would need to contact ENVGO directly via their official website.
Source: ENVGO
