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Electric Boats at Cannes Yachting Festival 2026: The Full Guide
Cannes Yachting Festival returns to the French Riviera from 8 to 13 September 2026 for its 49th edition, and it remains Europe's largest in-water boat show: more than 680 exhibitors and around 700 boats from 5 to 50 metres, spread across two venues, the Vieux Port and Port Canto. The organiser expects roughly 56,000 visitors and around 150 world premieres across every category on show.
Cannes organises a dedicated Electric Boat Area, a pontoon zone in the heart of the Vieux Port reserved for 100% electric and hybrid boats. This guide covers what's confirmed for 2026: who's exhibiting there, what it costs to visit, and how Volta will be covering the show.
The Electric Boat Area: nine confirmed exhibitors
The festival's own exhibitor listing names nine shipyards showing electric and hybrid boats from 8 to 12 metres in the dedicated zone:
- Candela, the Swedish hydrofoiling specialist behind the C-8 and C-7, both of which fly above the water on electric hydrofoils to cut energy use sharply versus a displacement hull.
- X Shore, the Swedish electric day boat and RIB builder, known for the Eelex range.
- Vita Power, shown at Cannes under its Vita Yachts branding, brings the Lion, a 10.5 metre full-production electric boat built with Hodgdon Yachts, and the SEAL electric RIB.
- RAND Boats, the Danish electric-forward day boat builder.
- Soel Yachts, the Dutch solar-electric catamaran and workboat builder.
- Nimbus, the Swedish motorboat brand that has offered electric propulsion since 2015; its 305 Coupé and 305 Drophead E-Power models pair a Torqeedo Deep Blue drivetrain with battery packs from 12.8 to 32 kWh.
- Steeler, the Dutch aluminium and steel yacht builder, appearing in the electric zone for 2026.
- Orphie, the French builder of 100% electric trimarans from the Riviera coast; its Orphie 29 was named Boat of the Year 2021 in the sea category.
- Pinball Boats, the French electric-hybrid catamaran builder that took over the Ocqueteau shipyard on Île d'Oléron in 2020; its boats run a 20 kWh battery pack and switch the combustion engine off entirely in electric mode.
None of the nine has a confirmed pontoon number in the festival's own materials at the time of writing, and we haven't been able to verify which individual boats will be on the water versus on static display. We'll update this guide once we're on site and can confirm firsthand.
Beyond the Electric Boat Area
Cannes runs a much wider hybrid story than the dedicated zone. Confirmed for 2026, with real stand numbers where the organiser has published them:
- Sunreef Yachts debuts the ULTIMA 88, its new motor-yacht flagship, marketed as electric (Vieux Port, Stand PAN089), alongside the Sunreef 60, 70 and 80, marketed as "electric sailing yachts" (Port Canto, Stand SAIL162).
- Jeanneau shows the Sea Loft 480, a hybrid day cruiser with a claimed 250 nautical miles of range in hybrid mode, 15 nm on electric alone, and 4.2 kW of solar charging while moored.
- Dufour brings the Dufour 54 with its ODSea+ hybrid package (electric propulsion plus hydro-generation and solar) to Port Canto.
- Azimut shows 12 models including the Seadeck 7 and the Grande 44M, which Azimut itself calls a hybrid flagship with a "Mild Hybrid Plus Zero Emission Hotel Mode." The Seadeck 7's own hybrid credentials come from trade press, not Azimut's own materials, worth confirming on the stand.
- Greenline Yachts, hybrid-electric since 2008, brings the new Greenline 42.
None of these builders sell primarily electric boats, so don't expect the dedicated zone's focus, but each is a real 2026 commitment, not a rumor.
Propulsion systems worth asking about even without a company stand of their own: Torqeedo's Deep Blue Hybrid has powered Excess's hybrid catamarans in recent editions, Evoy's Norwegian electric motors power an electric Axopar 25, and Oceanvolt's Servoprop technology has paired with Vaan Yachts' R5. None of the three is confirmed to have its own 2026 stand, so the practical move is to ask at whichever boat you're looking at what's actually driving it.
Watching for a return: the 2025 Innovation Route Awards went to the MODX 70 (a 100% renewable catamaran with hydrogeneration and 70 m² of solar) and the Vaan R5 (a 95% recyclable sailboat). Neither is confirmed for 2026 as we write this. The 2026 winners are announced on opening day, worth checking the Innovation Route in person.
If you want the full year-by-year field beyond what we've confirmed here, Plugboats publishes an annual guide.
Getting there and what it costs
Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday, 10:00 to 19:00; Friday, 10:00 to 22:00; Saturday, 10:00 to 19:00; Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00.
Tickets (official pricing): a one-day e-ticket is €40, a two-day pass is €65, and a family ticket (two adults plus two teenagers) is €120. A four-day professional/trade rate is €60. VIP tiers start at €220 for single-day Sea Access at the Vieux Port and run up to €1,640 for a six-day Platinum pass for two.
Getting there: the nearest airport is Nice Côte d'Azur, with a show discount on Air France and KLM fares. From the airport, Bus Line 81 runs direct to Cannes, and Cannes' SNCF station is a short walk from the Vieux Port. A free sea shuttle connects the Vieux Port and Port Canto every 15 minutes from 10:00.
Two venues, two roles: the Vieux Port hosts new boats, including the Electric Boat Area; Port Canto hosts sailing yachts, multihulls, pre-owned and charter boats, and marine equipment.
Sustainability at the show
The festival runs an Innovation Route in its second year, a trail across both ports highlighting sustainability-minded exhibitors, with Innovation Route Awards including categories for best sustainable product and best CSR initiative. Alongside the roughly 150 world premieres across the full show, it's the clearest sign that electric and hybrid propulsion has moved from a side note to a named part of Cannes' identity.
Volta at Cannes 2026
Volta isn't exhibiting at Cannes this year. We're going as visitors, on the ground for the full week to see what's actually on the water rather than what's on a spec sheet. Expect interviews with the builders in the Electric Boat Area, first-hand sea trial footage where we can get it, and an honest read on which of this year's electric and hybrid launches are worth your attention.
If you're exhibiting an electric or hybrid boat at Cannes 2026 and want to meet, get in touch and we'll find time during the week.
We'll keep this guide updated with what we actually find on site, before and after the show.
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