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RECORD BREAKERS Success!
RECORD BREAKERS Success! Peter takes the V20E to 88.6 mph, setting a new world speed record for an electric watercraft and that the integrity of the craft was intact. None of it was an exact science; much of it had not been tried before.” Another issue was finding suitably long stretches of water to run the systems enough to confirm the cooling systems could deal with the great heat that needed to be dissipated. Components failed, and lessons had to be unpicked. But as the learning curve accelerated, the performance data started to improve strongly, and the teams grew confident in their ability to break the record. Meanwhile, another challenge was being steadily overcome – the Lake District has strict ordinances limiting boat speeds to 10 mph, and it takes many months to process the multitudes of paperwork needed to get special dispensation to attempt a speed record. The logistics were nothing to sneeze at either; a feat like this requires timekeepers, safety crews, and other kinds of officials. But finally, requisite permissions in hand, the stage was set. The weather forecast was good, and everyone involved was raring to go. Cue fog. But eventually, and dramatically, like a curtain in a stage play, it lifts, magically revealing Coniston’s still waters ringed by hills. Peter lowers himself into the snug cockpit, and the V20E is gently backed in near the pier. In near-silence, save the splash of parting water, the dart-like craft accelerates away – slowly at first, then rapidly gaining speed, driveline hum resonating over the lake – until it is just a white fantail receding into the distance. I get my chance to nurse a cappuccino, but out on the water, Peter is running on adrenaline. Everything is precise THE SUN PEAKS, THEN STARTS TO DROP. AND THEN: TRIUMPH and practiced. Data evaluated; radio chatter with safety and tech crews; turnaround time; the return pass made within a stipulated time; average run speed calculated. As an experienced racer and record breaker, Peter is mentally in the zone, breaking down everything into small and simple actions. It’s a fine line between success and failure. So he stays in the cockpit and in the zone, even as laptops are plugged in and parts checked, tuned and tweaked or replaced between runs. A chance to stretch his legs comes only when the boat is taken out of the water, for the battery to be recharged. The sun peaks, then starts to drop. And then: triumph. An afternoon run produces a two-way average of 84.8 mph, smashing the record. Three runs later, Peter and the crew push the V20E all the way up to 88.6 mph, which, as the permitted sessions end, stands as the new world record*. “My first reaction? Relief!” laughs Peter. “Relief that everyone’s time and effort over 15 months has paid off. And next, excitement for the future. I can tell you, this record won’t last long. We’ve already got big plans.” *Record held at the time of going to print 68 THEJAGUAR
JAGUAR MAGAZINE celebrates creativity in all its forms, with exclusive features that inspire sensory excitement, from seductive design to cutting-edge technology.
The latest issue features a range of inspiring people: from Luke Jennings, creator of Villanelle, one of the most interesting television characters in recent times, to Marcus Du Sautoy, who ponders whether artificial intelligence is on the brink of becoming creative. Out on the road, we visit the US to explore the foodie heaven of Portland in a Jaguar I-PACE, take a Jaguar XE to the south of France to get a photographer’s viewpoint of the charming town of Arles, and much more.
