ELIGHT 40

A solar day boat, not a yacht

The first thing to understand about NovaLuxe's ELIGHT 40 is the name: the "40" is not a length. This is a 6.4 m, 21 ft power catamaran, the smallest in a range that reaches 70 ft, and the mismatch is a standing invitation to specification confusion — insist on dimensioned drawings before signing anything.

Taken on its own terms it is an interesting proposition. A 6 kWh solar array feeding twin 48 V inboards with solar-only cruising up to 5 knots means, in practice, a boat that can potter all day on sunshine in a warm climate and never see a charging cable. That suits an off-grid mooring, a sheltered lagoon, or a small eco-tourism operation far better than it suits a private owner wanting to cover distance.

What is missing

Battery capacity in kWh, range, and price are all unpublished in our record, and the quoted "up to 10 hours" is given without a corresponding speed, which makes it impossible to compare against anything. The two enclosed cabins are berths inside narrow 21 ft hulls, not accommodation you stand up in. A 10-knot top speed and catamaran windage also argue firmly against open water. Finally, this is a US builder whose range is not uniformly electric — European buyers should confirm CE certification and who supports the boat locally.