This Week's Tip

Vision Marine Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: VMAR)

Vision Marine Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: VMAR) is a global leader and innovator within the performance electric recreational boating industry. The company is engaged in designing and manufacturing electric outboard powertrain systems and related technology. It strives to be a guiding force for change and an ongoing driving factor in fighting the problems associated with waterway pollution by disrupting the traditional boating industry with electric power, in turn directly contributing to zero pollution, zero emission and a noiseless environment.

Vision Marine manufactures hand-crafted, highly durable, low maintenance, environmentally friendly electric recreational powerboats. The company’s business segments include the sale and rental of electric boats, with the majority of its revenue attributable to electric boat sales.

The designs and technology applied to Vision Marine’s boats result in enhanced performance, higher speeds and longer range. Put simply, Vision Marine boats offer a smoother ride than a traditional internal combustion engine motorboat.

The company is headquartered in Montreal.

Products

Vision Marine’s flagship E-Motion™ 180E electric marine powertrain.

Vision Marine’s flagship E-Motion™ 180E electric marine powertrain is the first fully electric outboard powertrain combining advanced battery pack, inverter and high efficiency motor with proprietary union assembly between the transmission and motor. Vision Marine’s E-Motion and related technologies in this system utilize extensive control software and are uniquely designed to improve the efficiency of the outboard powertrain. As a result, both range and performance are enhanced.

More than a powerful electric outboard motor, the 180E is a complete powertrain package. The high-tech, marine-specific motor is equipped with multi-sensor captors and independent cooling, providing 180 horsepower.

An onboard charging system allows for quick and easy charging from any shore outlet, whether the vessel is in or out of the water. It implements cutting-edge marine battery packs that are IP67 certified and built to withstand the harshest marine environments. The system is glycol cooled with a controlled heat exchanger, ensuring optimal performance and longevity. A stainless-steel casing protects the battery from corrosion and physical damage over time.

The 180E is built to be integrated with many boat models produced by other marine manufacturers. Since boat manufacturers rarely build their own engines, instead choosing to source them from engine manufacturers, Vision Marine believes the 180E propulsion system can in the future end up powering nearly every recreational boat.

Market Opportunity

According to a report from Future Market Insights, a certified market research organization, the global electric boats market is expected to grow from a value of $5.6 billion in 2023 to $15.1 billion by 2033, achieving a CAGR of 10.4% during the forecast period.

Factors driving growth include rising seaborne commerce activities, a flourishing marine tourism industry and stringent emissions regulations aimed at reducing pollution. In addition, government support for electric speedboat adoption, advances in technological development and research and forecast expansion of needed charging infrastructure are credited as growth drivers.

An emphasis on reducing carbon emissions and encouraging consumer adoption of eco-friendly boats is also likely to drive expansion of the market, the report states.

Management Team

Alexandre Mongeon is Co-Founder and CEO of Vision Marine Technologies. He has served as CEO since 2014. Prior to that, he imported high-performance boats from the United States to Canada for more than 15 years. During much of that time, he also worked as a designer and contractor and managed several new construction projects on the waterfront in and around Montreal. He is a graduate of the School of Construction in Laval, Quebec, with a specialization in electrical systems.

Xavier Montagne is Chief Technical Officer at Vision Marine. Prior to joining the company, he was the CEO of Mac Engineering for six years. While there, he was the electric powerline architect of the Renault Trezor concept car (awarded 2016 Best Concept Car), technical designer of the Zoe E-sport race car driven in Formula-E races from 2016-2019 and senior battery designer for Forsee Power, SAFT, Renault and Peugeot in Europe, to mention a few of the many projects he headed. He received an electronic engineer diploma from IFITEP Paris Polytech in France.

Kulwant Sandher is CFO at Vision Marine. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant with more than 25 years of experience in business and finance. He has served as CFO of multiple public and private companies, including ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corp., MineSense Technologies Inc., Alba Mineral Ltd., Delta Oil & Gas, Astorius Resources Ltd., Norsemont Mining Inc. and Intigold Mines Ltd. He graduated from Queen Mary College, University of London.

Investment Considerations
  • In November 2023, Vision Marine filed with the SEC to sell 370,000 ordinary shares priced at $4.05 in a private placement.
  • The company in November 2023 reported its receipt of a purchase order from boat manufacturer Wired Pontoons for 25 units of its E-Motion 180E powertrain system.
  • Vision Marine announced in October 2023 delivery of E-Motion 180E powertrain technology to boat manufacturer Groupe Beneteau, to be integrated on the Four Winns H2e Bowrider model.
  • In August 2023, a catamaran powered by a Vision Marine powertrain set an electric boat world speed record of 116 mph at the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout in Missouri.
  • The company raised $27 million in a December 2020 U.S. initial public offering.
Additional Resources