Electrifying Luxury Boats for Lumen Yachts

We have the pleasure of speaking with Jaap, the founder and CEO of Lumen Yachts (before JR Yachts). Established in 2018, Lumen Yachts is at the forefront of innovation in the electric boating luxury industry.

Having started meticulously crafting first prototypes by hand, the company has come a long way since then marketizing unique recreational yachts in different sizes and voltages.

Our collaboration started with the Lumen E10, featuring two W90 inverters. Following the press release on 27th June 2024, Lumen is now planning to produce eight E10 boats in the next 12 months and an additional 32 over the following two years. Besides, they are working on a 6m boat in 48V.

 

 

What challenges did Lumen Yachts face with their powertrain system before collaborating with NX Technologies?

Before collaborating with NX Technologies, Lumen Yachts was primarily using inverters from a major supplier. When looking at suitable inverters for the E10 boat, they realized the inverter that met the required specifications were too bulky, heavy and expensive. Besides, they were very interested in identifying a less noisy solution to deliver a silent yachting experience as previous experiences with their former supplier proved too noisy.

Jaap first heard about NX at the Electric & Hybrid Marine Expo in Amsterdam, and after it caught his attention, he explored more about us online. He found that the W90 inverter offered the necessary power and voltage ratings with a much more compact and lightweight design.

 

 

How has the W90 inverter improved the performance of the Lumen E10?

The boat features two independent POD motors from Arka, which significantly enhances maneuverability and control. Motor and inverter calibration was performed in the Netherlands at Arka’s test benches. Thanks to DeveLinkSTUDIO and some remote support from NX, Lumen completed the calibration within a week to then continue with system integration at vehicle level.

As highlighted by Jaap, the introduction of NX’s W90 inverter has brought remarkable improvements:

• Space and weight reduction
• In-depth calibration allowed the motor to deliver a 30% increase in power compared to the motor ratings provided by their supplier.
• It has allowed Lumen to deliver on their silent yachting promise, providing a more luxurious and peaceful experience to the customer thanks to VarioSwitch switching strategy.
• The inverters operate each POD motor autonomously in speed control to improve drivability and ensure a smooth sailing sensation in any environmental conditions.
•  NX all-in-one DeveLinkSTUDIO tool greatly facilitated the setup process and enhanced the understanding of actual performance.
• Compared to the outdated Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) of other inverter suppliers, NX DeveLinkSTUDIO allows real-time performance analysis which allowed Lumen to react to what is happening on the fly, thereby reducing costs and minimizing errors.

 

 

What are the benefits of working with NX?

Jaap emphasized the benefits of working directly with NX’s technical support team. Unlike with dealers, the direct collaboration with the manufacturer ensures each request was fulfilled much quicker and effectively, hereby improving the technical acumen of Lumen.

Jaap particularly appreciates NX’s openness to adopting new technology and their swift resolution of potential issues. This aspect holds particular importance for customers in the luxury market, where quick and refined solutions to any problems are highly valued.

In addition to the in-depth technical expertise and competence, Jaap has also highlighted the human quality of NX team. He describes the communication and collaboration with each NX colleague as first-class. He is confident in the reliability of our products and robustness of NX as a company. We appreciate Jaap’s eagerness for NX to continue expanding the POWER inverter range to cover all future applications.

 

 

What’s next?

We are proud to witness how our inverters are helping Lumen to advance in the luxury electric boating industry with more compact, efficient, silent and accessible technology. The W90 inverter, combined with the innovative DeveLinkSTUDIO, has not only improved performance but also set a new standard in user experience and technical support for the client.

We will continue expanding our market reach in the marine industry while closely follow the advancements of our colleagues at Lumen Yachts expanding the sound of silence.