A jet ski is expensive, loud, needs fuel, and most people are scared to ride one. These are the opposite.
Mini electric jet boats are tiny one or two-seat boats with a steering wheel, a seat, and a jet pump instead of a propeller. They feel like go-karts on water. Quiet, simple to drive, and fun from the first second. In China they’re already a standard attraction at lakes and resorts. In most of Europe, almost nobody has them.
That’s the business: buy a small fleet, set up at a lake, river or beach, and rent them out in 20-minute sessions.
Why it works
Easy to drive — steering wheel and throttle, no experience needed
Electric — no fuel, no oil changes, much quieter than jet skis
Short sessions, high price per minute — people pay for the thrill, not the time
Built-in marketing — every ride gets filmed and posted
Safer than propeller boats — because jet boats don’t have an outdrive or propeller, the risk of injury for swimmers nearby is significantly reduced alibaba
The numbers (rough)
What people pay
Benchmark from an electric mini boat rental on a French lake: €30 for 20 minutes, €40 for 30 minutes, €70 for 1 hour.
What the boats cost
A Rush Wave boat runs around $4,999, with a spare battery available for an additional $1,800. Canadian dealer pricing is higher — $7,499 at RushWave.ca for hull, 15 kW motor, battery and charger. Havospark and other Chinese brands are in a similar range — request quotes.
Starter fleet (4 boats)
4 boats: ~€20,000–28,000
Spare batteries: ~€5,000–7,000
Life jackets, signage, dock/pontoon, charging setup: ~€2,000–4,000
Total: ~€27,000–39,000
Revenue example
€30 per 20 minutes = up to €90 per boat per hour
4 boats × 4 rented hours/day × €90 = ~€1,440/day
On a good summer weekend that’s serious money — but this is seasonal. In Northern Europe you have roughly May–September, and weather decides everything. Plan to earn most of your year in 3–4 months.
Batteries are the bottleneck. Each battery gives roughly an hour of riding and takes hours to charge. Spare batteries are what let you keep boats on the water all day.
Licenses & permits — check before buying
Boat licence rules — many countries allow licence-free boats only under a certain engine power. A 15 kW motor is about 20 hp, which is above the licence-free limit in some countries. Check your local maritime authority first.
Water access permit — you need permission from the lake owner, municipality, or port authority to run a commercial rental
Boat registration — some countries require each boat to be registered
Insurance — commercial liability insurance is a must
Safety — life jackets, safety briefing, signed waivers, a marked riding zone, minimum rider age
How to start
Find the water first — lakes near cities, beach clubs, resorts, campsites, water parks
Pitch the location owner — offer revenue share instead of rent. It’s a new attraction for them at zero cost.
Start with 2–4 boats — test demand for one season before scaling
Sell online bookings — time slots via a simple booking tool, plus walk-ins
Add packages — birthday parties, corporate events, “race your friends” group sessions
Manufacturers
Havospark — China
Made by Shenzhen Hoverstar Flight Technology. Their electric mini jet ski is built for lakes, rivers and rental operations — 50 km/h top speed, three speed modes, PE hull, CE certified, and positioned for rental fleets with lower running costs than petrol models.
Find on Alibaba or nauticexpo.com — search “Havospark” nauticexpo
Rush Wave — China
A 15 kW fully electric jet boat with a lightweight foam hull that makes it unsinkable, designed and manufactured by a Chinese company. Official site: rush-wave.com. North American dealer: RushWave.ca. jetdrift
⚠️ Scam warning: Many copycat “RushWave” stores sell the boat for around $330 “on sale from $999.” A real 15 kW electric boat costs thousands. Only buy from the official site or a verified dealer.
Alibaba — Compare more factories
Search “electric mini jet boat rental.” Look for CE certification, verified supplier status, battery specs, and spare parts availability. Always ask for a video call and real customer references before paying.
Jet ski rental already works everywhere. This is the cheaper, quieter, easier version — and in most countries, you’d be the first one doing it.
Rules differ by country — treat the licensing section as a checklist, not legal advice.