Powerboats: Helluin's PePHyT beats Jaguar's record at 155 kph

David Helluin has set a new world record for electric speed in powerboating. On 22 September 2026, on the Canal de Caen, the French driver took the PePHyT, a hydroplane from the TEC E MOUV team, to 155.01 kph (96.32 mph). The record, registered by the UIM as No. 3966, was made public on 9 October.

A record that erases Jaguar's mark

The category is the Circuit Electric Outright, the absolute record for electric boats on a circuit. It belonged to Jaguar Vector Racing at 142.6 kph. The PePHyT improves on it by 12.41 kph.

On the same day, Helluin first set the Unlimited Voltage electric hydroplane record on his opening run at 142.94 kph, No. 3965. The team then reviewed the data and the driving before going out again: the second run produced the outright record.

From May's heat to September's success

This success follows an earlier attempt. On 28 May 2026, also on the Canal de Caen, Helluin set the Unlimited Voltage record at 140.41 kph, over two timed runs in each direction on a one-kilometre course. He did not beat Jaguar's mark.

Exceptional heat had caused an inverter temperature sensor to fail, so the boat ran with reduced torque and power. Weeks of analysis pointed to faulty electronic components that cut the motor in hot weather. The team changed the inverter's thermal management before trying again.

What we know about the boat

• Powertrain: 800 V and 170 kW, automotive-derived, developed with IFP Énergies nouvelles (IFPEN);
• Hull: built by Moore Formula and modified over the summer to improve balance;
• Backing: Région Normandie and the French state's France 2030 programme;
• Status: TechnoMAP describes the PePHyT as a demonstrator rather than a racing entry.

What next?

The team says its only performance goal was to beat the outright electric world record, and sees the result as a symbol of never stopping work. It has not announced the boat's next step.

For powerboating, the record puts a French boat at the top of electric circuit speed. The editorial team will follow further announcements from TEC E MOUV and TechnoMAP.