Since 2019, Swiss Solar Boat has been driving innovation in shipbuilding. Initiated by students from EPFL Lausanne, the team now includes 80 students from a variety of disciplines. While the initial focus was to participate in the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (MEBC) - a competition for boats with alternative propulsion systems - the project now aims to promote decarbonisation and sustainable water transport. The team is currently finalising its second vessel, the REF (Renewable Energy Foiler). Its maiden voyage on Lake Geneva is scheduled for early 2026.
Let's take a step back. It all started with the Dahu, the team's first boat. The boat is named after a mythical creature from the Swiss Alps. According to legend, the Dahu resembles an ibex but has shorter legs on one side to help it navigate steep mountain slopes. The name emphasises the boat's asymmetrical design.
The Dahu uses hydrofoils – wing-like structures that lift the boat out of the water at low speeds, allowing it to «fly» above the surface. This drastically reduces drag, making the boat much faster and more efficient than conventional boats.
Swiss Solar Boat combines this foiling technology with lightweight construction and ultra-thin solar cells. The Dahu competed in the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (MEBC) in 2021 and 2022, winning several prizes and awards. However, despite its success, the design had its limitations – particularly in terms of range. To address this, the Dahu was taken back to the workshop for further development. In particular, a hydrogen-electric hybrid system was added to complement the solar cells. The effectiveness of this system was demonstrated in April 2024 when the students successfully crossed Lake Geneva from Lausanne to Évian. The Dahu covered the 13-kilometre distance in just 30 minutes. The range of the Dahu has been tripled by the introduction of the hydrogen system.
In the summer of 2025, Dahu will return to the MEBC – this time not as a competition boat, but as a demonstration platform to showcase the potential of hydrogen-powered maritime mobility.
Swiss Solar Boat is pursuing the same goal with its latest vessel, the REF (Renewable Energy Foiler). With this project, the students impressively demonstrate the potential of foiling boats with alternative propulsion systems. Swiss Solar Boat president Maëlle Truchement says: «With our expertise in hydrogen systems, hydrofoils, aerodynamics and energy management, we're making a significant contribution to innovation in water transport.» Hydrogen-powered foiling boats could be a real game changer, for example in passenger transport on Lake Geneva and beyond.
The REF is a hybrid solar-green hydrogen foiling boat. It can carry three people, has a range of up to 160 kilometres and can reach a top speed of 35 knots. The foiler is part of a broader vision for sustainable maritime transport, which includes vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration and improved energy management in ports. Production and testing of the prototype is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. In the summer of 2026, Swiss Solar Boat plans to enter the REF in the MEBC in Monaco. The new boat will compete in the SeaLab class, a category for hydrogen-powered boats in long-distance races.
However, Swiss Solar Boat's commitment goes even further. The team is launching a zero-emission boat competition called «Le Ruban Vert», to be held on Lake Geneva from 2026. Additionally, a special event is planned for October 2025, which will bring together key figures from the foiling sector and make this technology accessible to the general public for the first time. Swiss Solar Boat is involved in organising this event, thus making an important contribution to sustainable nautical mobility.
We're looking forward to following the Swiss Solar Boat on this blog. For the REF project, Syslogic provided the team with various Peak-System networking components. Raphael Binder, Managing Director of Syslogic, explains: «Swiss Solar Boat is actively working to move the world forward». The students share the same goal as Syslogic, which is why the company is proud to support these innovative Swiss boat builders, says Raphael.
The Dahu uses hydrofoils – wing-like structures that lift the boat out of the water at low speeds, allowing it to «fly» above the surface
