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River rafting company debuts electric raft on Colorado River
Colorado River Discovery announces launch of electric raft in partnernship with National Park Service Aug. 23

After almost a decade of research, Colorado River Discovery announced its first 100 percent electric raft, Helios. Helios has zero emissions and reduces waste, pollution and noise levels.
Photo/courtesy of Colorado River Discovery

After almost a decade of research, Colorado River Discovery announced its first 100 percent electric raft, Helios. Helios has zero emissions and reduces waste, pollution and noise levels.

photo

Helios is powered by Torqeedo’s Deep Blue propulsion system drawn from a newly installed charging station inside Glen Canyon Dam’s power plant.

PAGE, Ariz. — Colorado River Discovery, in partnership with the National Parks Service (NPS), announced its first electric raft was formally launched in the Colorado River Aug. 23.

Named Helios in homage to the god of the sun in Greek mythology and both certified by the U.S. Coast Guard and registered with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the raft made its formal debut at Glen Canyon Dam along the Colorado River, coinciding with the NPS centennial Aug. 25.

According to Colorado River Discovery, Helios provides zero emissions, exponentially reducing waste products that could pollute the environment or disrupt the climate and completely eliminates the threat of gasoline contaminates in the future. The company said in a press release the raft greatly reduces noise pollution on the Colorado River.

“We are excited to join our sister rafting outfitters, many of which have recently launched hybrid-electric rafts, in the movement to reduce emissions and preserve the Colorado River for future generations,” said Korey Seyler with Colorado River Discovery. “We believe in sustaining the Colorado River for future generations that will visit long after we are gone.”

Helios is powered by Torqeedo’s Deep Blue propulsion system, and the power for the raft is drawn from a newly installed charging station inside the Glen Canyon Dam power plant, which provides a renewable clean power source through hydroelectric power. The station was completed in partnership with the Glen Canyon Dam, Page Utility Enterprise, Bureau of Land Reclamation and the Western Area Power Administration.

“Deep Blue is fully integrated propulsion in which all components are designed to match each other seamlessly, providing a unique experience in terms of safety, performance and range. This is also the first system to be used with more than two battery packs in the United States,” Seyler said.

Helios can host up to eight rafters during each four-hour run. Available by advance reservation, $10 from every trip benefits a newly established “Colorado River Discovery Fund Research Award” at Northern Arizona University’s School for Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability. According to Colorado River Discovery, the award will provide the school with up to $5,000 annually for research projects directly tied to the program.

“In addition to what we’ve done with Helios, over the past decade, Colorado River Discovery has reduced its fuel consumption by 20 percent through proper training of equipment operation; exceptional upkeep and maintenance of motors; and development of new technologies to reduce noise and consumption of fossil fuels,” Seyler said.  

The family owned business employs a “Smart Green Systems” program company wide, which it said is focused on education, creative recycling and re-use programs on-site.

“Colorado River Discovery is focused on making environmentally friendly choices and respecting this national resource,” Seyler said. “And we do so through education, innovation and our own investment, which allows us to be responsible without passing added costs on to our rafters.”

More information is available at www.raftthecanyon.com or www.facebook.com/raftthecanyon.


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