The company was founded in 1899 by Isaac Rice to build the submersible design of John Philip Holland. During WW I the company and its subsidiaries built 85 submarines and 722 submarine chasers for the US Navy. After the war the Navy did not order another submarine until 1934. In World War II, 74 submarines and almost 400 PT Boats were launched.
After the war, the company had a major role in the construction of modern submarines. Built by Electric Boat were the first nuclear submarine, USS Nautilus, which was launched in 1954, and the first ballistic-missile submarine, George Washington, in 1959, amongst others. The Ohio-, Los Angeles-, Seawolf- and Virginia-class submarines were also constructed by Electric Boat.
Electric Boat also did preservation work on the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), preparing her for her berth at Groton's Submarine Force Library and Museum where she now serves as a museum of submarine history.
While most boats on the water today are powered by diesel engines, and sail power and gasoline engines are also popular, it is perfectly feasible to power boats by electricity too.
Electricboats were very popular from the 1880s until the 1920s, when the internal combustion engine took dominance.
Electricboats, with their historically limited range and poor performance against a strong headwind or current, have tended to be used on inland waterways.
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