Nominations open for 2026 Gussies electric boat awards

Nominations are now open for the seventh annual Gustave Trouvé Awards for Excellence in Electric Boats and Boating, known as The Gussies. Entries close at midnight EST on 22 November 2026. Winners will be announced on 13 January 2027.

Electric boating news website Plugboats founded the awards in 2020 to recognise achievement and innovation in electric boats and propulsion. It coordinates the awards with the International Electric Marine Association (IEMA).

To qualify, powerboats must use electric propulsion as their main drive system. Sailing boats can use it as a secondary system. Hybrids are eligible only if a fully electric version is also available for sale. Anyone can nominate a boat, from manufacturers and suppliers to members of the public.

This year’s presenting companies are EPTechnologies, ExploMar and Nautical Ventures. EPTechnologies supplies electric and hybrid marine propulsion systems for vessels ranging from small boats to superyachts. ExploMar develops integrated electric marine powertrain and propulsion systems from 70hp to 1,200hp. Nautical Ventures is an electric marine dealer with nine locations across Florida.

The awards cover a range of vessels, including solar-powered dayboats, runabouts, hydrofoiling water taxis, electric personal watercraft and ocean-going sailing yachts.

Nomination categories

Entries are divided into 10 categories and subcategories.

• Electric boats up to 8m/26ft – presented by Nautical Ventures, with separate awards for boats in production and boats in development.
• Electric boats over 8m/26ft – presented by EPTechnologies, with separate awards for boats in production and boats in development.
• Repowered, customised and DIY electric boats – presented by ExploMar.
• Electric sailing boats.
• Electric workboats.
• Electric personal watercraft, boards, e-foils and water toys – presented by Nautical Ventures.
• Electric boats designed for paying passengers – with separate awards for boats in operation and boats in development.

The awards are named after French inventor Gustave Trouvé, who held more than 75 patents. In 1881, he devised the world’s first outboard boat motor so he could detach the electric engine from his prototype boat Le Teléphone and take it home for further work in his Paris apartment.

The first awards attracted just under 40 entries, while recent editions have received more than 150. The 50 winners to date include entrants from Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkiye, the UK and the US.

Past winners join other electric boat experts on an international panel to select the finalists. Winners are then determined through a combination of expert assessment and public voting.

“With the growing awareness of the critical state of our environment, the recognition that fossil fuel prices are unlikely to fall and battery technology becoming more advanced and affordable, there are more options than ever for those who want to ‘go electric’ with their boating,” says Jeff Butler, publisher of Plugboats. “The Gussies is the premier platform for showcasing the best of designs and engineering for the growing electric boat industry.”

Finalists will be announced on 2 December, when public voting begins. Voting closes on 10 January 2027, three days before the announcement of the 2026 winners.

The nomination form and full eligibility criteria are available at the Plugboats website.