Man who built solar-powered yacht that can run forever ran it to 0% battery to see what happened
Published on Jul 12, 2026 at 1:49 AM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Jul 12, 2026 at 1:49 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
The man behind the solar-powered yacht that could run forever has conducted an interesting experiment.
Lukas Sjoman has invested a lot of time in creating Helios 11, a yacht that lives on sunlight and needs no marinas to fuel up.
In the months since, he’s been documenting every upgrade and every step of his journey across the open waters.
But this time he was aiming for something a little different – he wanted to see what would happen if he ran his solar-powered yacht down to zero battery.
This solar-powered yacht has seen a lot of action
Sjoman, through his YouTube channel TRUE NORTH, has left no stone unturned in documenting his progress with the Helios 11.
The Helios 11 had gotten an abundance of coverage over recent months, from its ability to overtake boats three times its size to its maiden voyage on the frozen canals of France.
Sjoman has been more than happy to divulge details, whether that’s new upgrades or the build guide.
Even more exciting than that has been the adventures he’s been on, living a happily independent lifestyle.
There have been some bumps along the way, as he found in Spain when the yacht got pelted with rocks.
But in his latest video, he was doing something a little different.
What happened when he ran the Helios 11 down to zero
So much had been said about how the Helios 11 was self-reliant.
But Sjoman wanted to see what would happen if the main batteries simply ran out.
To prepare for this test – which would take place during a 25-nautical-mile journey to Alicante – Sjoman turned off the solar panels temporarily the day before to intentionally knock down the battery levels.
Remarkably, there was still some battery left when he got to Alicante.
As a result, he drove around in circles until he fully depleted it.
When he hit that long-awaited zero percent, the boat’s system immediately restarted and adjusted to run on the available 3,300W of solar power.
So in conclusion, it did ‘pretty much nothing’, as the boat would still continue cruising on the available real-time solar input, rather than what was in the batteries.
Solar power is only increasing in popularity
It’s not just on self-made yachts that solar power is packing a punch.
In May 2026, the energy source overtook coal in the US in a huge step forward for the eco-energy movement.
And that’s not forgetting China, which did more for solar power in 2025 than any other country in the world.
We’re at the point where we’re seeing panels on practically everything, and is that such a bad thing?
If the savings this man accumulated by putting solar panels is anything to go by, then it’s not a bad thing at all.
Ben joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025 after being published by international organizations including LADbible, The Sun, the New York Post, and the Daily Mail. He covers supercars, rare and collectible vehicles, aviation, luxury assets, and the fascinating people behind them. His reporting has explored everything from seven-figure supercars and historic Ferrari collections to unusual aircraft adventures and extraordinary automotive discoveries from around the world. Ben has also gained first-hand insight into vehicle craftsmanship and customization, including visiting specialist workshops to see bespoke vehicles up close.
