The auto industry has raced ahead on an electric wave with more manufacturers joining the race seemingly every day. The boating industry has sputtered far behind, bogged down by low-horsepower engines and batteries that take up nearly half the boat. That’s in the process of changing. Bolstered by new technology, electric boats are now faster, have smaller batteries with longer ranges, and are still zero emission. “Electric boats used to be good for just cruising around,” said Alex Mongeon, CEO of Montreal-based Vision Marine Technologies. “Now they have more power and last a lot longer.” Vision Marine has helped lead the charge in more powerful electric boats. Other companies riding the electric motor wave include Swedish luxury boat builder X Shore and Arc, started by former SpaceX employees. An avid boat racer and electrician by trade, Mongeon and Vision Marine began working in 2015 on developing a more powerful yet …