‘I am truly sorry’: X Shore founder comments as firm files for bankruptcy
The firm came into difficulty in October 2025 when its production arm – X Shore Production AB – filed for bankruptcy
Swedish electric boat manufacturer X Shore AB has filed for bankruptcy, in a move that takes effect today (29 January 2026).
The firm’s founder, Konrad Bergström, has described the decision as “painful”, explaining: “I acknowledge my responsibility for how this chapter has unfolded, and I deeply regret the hardship and disappointment this ending has caused.”
X Shore built its boats in a 14,000sqm factory in Nyköping, which opened in 2021 and employed close to 70 people. The X Shore 1 model was launched in September 2022.
The firm came into difficulty in October 2025 when its production arm – X Shore Production AB – filed for bankruptcy. At the time, René Hansen, chief executive of X Shore, confirmed to MIN that X Shore AB remained “fully operational and continues to manage all customer, partner and financing relations.”
In January, Norwegian investor Staale Reiersen acquired X Shore Production AB, along with around 20 X Shore boats, via an auction site. Reiersen reportedly plans to restart production with a focus on battery-powered propulsion.
Posting on social media on Wednesday (28 January 2026), Bergström says: “Our ambition was to rethink the entire experience — the UX, the interaction and how everything works together. Boating should be fun and feel more like a modern car than a traditional vessel: intuitive, coherent and thoughtfully designed. Not a collection of disconnected components, but one unified experience. Electric propulsion was a key enabler, due to its economics, the power of silence and sustainability. But the real goal was experience – like sailing without wind: no noise, no fumes, just presence.
“Along the way, something meaningful happened: people around the world began to believe in the same shift.
“To everyone affected by this journey – our employees, suppliers, partners and investors – I am truly sorry. As founder and leader, I acknowledge my responsibility for how this chapter has unfolded, and I deeply regret the hardship and disappointment this ending has caused.
“I am profoundly grateful to the people who made this journey possible – our team, our customers and our investors – whose trust and commitment allowed us to challenge conventions and push an entire industry forward, even when the path was difficult.
“While X Shore as a company may be coming to an end, the ideas it helped introduce will live on. The experience – and the silence – on the water is here to stay. My hope is that X Shore can find a new beginning with the right partner, allowing the original vision to be fulfilled: bringing the seas back to life where we live, in collaboration with nature.”
