"First, I would like to point out to our new customers that our hybrid system is bulletproof", German Shchedrinski, CEO of Greenline Yachts in North America.
Recently German Shchedrinski, CEO of Greenline Yachts in North America visited SV Yachts & Boats. We talked about futures plans, the upcoming launch of a new model GL 58 in Cannes and the new 6G hybrid generation.
German, first, we are extremely happy to see you in our office in Vancouver! So, tell us in a nutshell what’s new in Greenline lately?
Thank you for the invitation and such a warm welcome! You guys are located in such a beautiful and peaceful place, so I’d even stay longer.
What’s new? We expanded our network and now Greenline has more around 50 dealers worldwide and more than 1000 units sold. Our facility in Europe is also developing and we already have more than 200 workers. In September we are presenting a new Greenline 58 model at Cannes Yachting Festival. It’s going to be a world premiere, and we are extremely excited about it. It’s been a long way and a new milestone for our company. Now we have 9 models in our product line.
What’s more? We are launching a new generation of hybrid systems and we’re sure that market will be stunned.
We are intrigued. Tell us about the new 6G generation.
First, I would like to point out to our new customers that our hybrid system is bulletproof. We have been testing it and getting feedback from customers and dealers for over 15 years. It works great, I have never experienced any major problems and more importantly small problems can be fixed locally. Unlike other manufacturers Greenline yachts have a low voltage system, so it is safe to touch any contact and most of the issues can be fixed without special license.
The new 6G generation is more efficient, more powerful, lighter and simpler itself. The system includes electric motors made with permanent magnets. It’s something new on the market. 6th hybrid generation has a multi-connection clutch, that allows the drive to be connected to any engine. For example, you can run a engine diesel, another engine electric and you will get 50% economy and double your range.
And I believe this generation will be in high demand in the North American market.
Talking about North America market. How do you rate the market?
This is a very important market for us and now 40% of orders come from the USA and Canada. And more importantly, 60-70% of yachts are hybrid. We have come a long way with dealers to educate customers about the hybrid system, and if 10 years ago there were many doubts, now people are happy to switch to a hybrid system, knowing that the system is proven, has a decent range and speed, and runs smoothly and silently. And besides, people are more educated and concerned about environmental issues, and a hybrid is a great option for those who are not ready to switch to an all-electric model, but want to abandon a diesel one.
We anticipate some steps from the Canadian government to encourage people who want to choose hybrid or electric boats, as the US government did. In Washington, there is now no tax on inboard electric boats with a capacity of more than 15 kW. Canada is also progressive on this issue, and we hope to see some support from them.
And yes, how did you deal with objections about batteries? Many are afraid of the high cost of replacement.
For 15 years, we have never faced serious mechanical issues unless we are talking about some direct mechanical damage or customer modification that wasn’t considered by the manufacturer. As I know since 2016 until now, we have had no issues with any batteries in Canada. So, we are sure in our system and provide 2 years warranty.
We still use lithium polymer batteries. Today, new batteries are entering the market, but we still remain patriots of our system, because it has proven their reliability. We are open to new technologies, but we will launch them only when we are sure that this is a worthy replacement for the current one. So far, I have not met a single dead battery. Cells – yes, but they are very easy to replace. The battery has 15 cells. Theoretically, one cell can get some damage or something like that. But only one cell can be replaced. You don’t need to replace the whole battery.
Also, we try to provide excellent after-sales service so customers can solve any issue with their local dealer with ease. And I’m so happy to see that our partner in Vancouver can provide full-fledged service to all our customers.
Could you also tell in a few words about shipyard tours and European delivery option? We know it’s getting popular?
It is becoming extremely popular for several reasons. This year we already had 3 groups of visitors who visited our facility and they were completely delighted. Of course, this is a different experience than ordering a boat remotely and never seeing the real yacht, the production process and the great team behind the scenes.
And yes, we have a great option to provide owners with a yacht in Europe for travel and then ship it to your country. Our clients just love it because we have one of the most beautiful boating spots in 2 hours from our manufacture. This is Croatia. This way, owners have the opportunity to travel around Europe with their own yacht and also to be in touch with us on that first day for advice or maintenance, because usually people have a lot of questions at the very beginning, and we are happy to help and even send mechanic if you are confused about something.
German, thank you very much for the interview! We invite you to visit us as often as possible. And of course we want to see more Greenline in North America!
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