Singapore’s Pyxis eyes Asia for solar-powered boat expansion

The startup's solar-electric vessels aim to decarbonise inland waterways.

Singapore-based electrification tech startup Pyxis is preparing to roll out its solar-powered river boats across Asia, targeting ports under increasing pressure to decarbonise.

The company sees its clean-energy vessels as scalable commercial solutions to support the maritime industry’s net-zero targets.

“That is very much in the work in Asia, because we think ports all around Asia, similar to Singapore, are also under pressure to decarbonise, to become greener,” Tommy Phun, founder and CEO at Pyxis, told Marine & Industrial Report. “These are commercial solutions that can be deployed overseas.”

The company delivered Singapore’s first Pyxis R ferry to local river cruise operator WaterB in March. By July, three of 10 units had been deployed for cruises along the Singapore River.

Each Pyxis R unit is equipped with solar panels that generate 20 kilowatt-hours of energy daily, covering most of its power needs to operate. The vessel’s vehicle-to-grid capability lets it return excess power to the grid—enough to supply electricity to two public housing apartments in Singapore.

“What this can do is to turn the Pyxis R into a floating solar farm, and in the future, it's able to power micro waterfront projects, facilities, piers, pontoons, lights, sound systems, or boat floating structures,” Phun said via Zoom.

Singapore, which accounted for 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions in 2024 alongside China’s 9%, is accelerating its solar adoption. The city-state achieved its 2025 target of deploying 1.5 gigawatt-peak (GWp) of solar energy earlier this year and is on track to meet its 2030 goal of 2 GWp—enough to power 350,000 households annually.

Phun said the remaining Pyxis R vessels would be delivered to WaterB in the next few months, and the company is exploring potential partnerships to expand deployment both within Singapore and regionally.

The boats could be used by resorts to carry tourists or as diving boats, he said.

The Pyxis R travels at four to five knots (7 to 9 kilometers) and has an energy demand comparable to just three hair dryers. Its catamaran hull design ensures stability and can transport as many as 48 passengers.

The vessel is also equipped with Electra, Pyxis’ proprietary Internet of Things (IoT)-powered ship management system.

“Pyxis is electrified, so that means a lot of data points we are now able to collect, feed it into our software and create new features to increase productivity,” Phun said.

Electra enables real-time monitoring of performance, power levels, remaining range, and optimal deployment routes, improving operational efficiency.

Pyxis plans to expand its lineup with the launch of a new model, Pyxis L, by the end of the year, he said. One unit is scheduled for deployment by Singapore River Cruise Pte Ltd., which operates the city’s iconic bumboats.