Physis PEB is a multidisciplinary team of 80 students from Politecnico di Milano, dedicated to the design and construction of an electric catamaran. Bringing together backgrounds that span mechanical, electrical, electronic, naval and management engineering as well as design, the team handles every stage of the boat from concept to on-water testing. Its vision is to contribute to the future of sustainable boating by developing innovative and scalable solutions through in-house design, an approach that gives the team greater control over technical decisions, deeper learning opportunities for its students, and an effective way to apply academic knowledge to a real engineering project. Rather than buying off-the-shelf solutions, Physis PEB designs, builds and validates its own, treating each season as a chance to refine both the boat and its methods. In line with this vision, the team works closely with industrial sponsors, acting as a testing and experimentation laboratory for new technologies and engineering solutions, where ideas can move quickly from research to real-world application.
Physis PEB’s 2026 electric catamaran features a fully integrated electric powertrain, a lightweight, monocoque cockpit optimised for weight, accessibility, and system integration. The cockpit geometry is inspired by marine life, translating fluid and continuous forms into a lightweight, aerodynamically efficient design that complies with regulatory and safety constraints while preserving a strong visual identity.
Key innovations include large-scale 3D-printed composite moulds for the cockpit with significant material and waste reduction, a modular propeller system developed through additive manufacturing and material characterisation, and a digital twin integrating CAD, CFD, FEM, and system-level simulations to support design validation and performance optimisation.
