Best electric outboard motors: 8 top options for zero-emissions propulsion
May 11, 2023, 07:43:29 AM
Best electric outboard motors: 8 top options for zero-emissions propulsion Electric outboard motors seem to be springing up all over the place right now. We round up 8 of the best electric outboards on the market…
Electric outboard motors are nothing new, the humble electric trolling motor has been around for decades, but in the past couple of years a new breed of more powerful units has emerged. Capable of powering everything from a tender to a 50-knot sportsboat, this new generation of electric outboard motors will surely play a big […]
This article Best electric outboard motors: 8 top options for zero-emissions propulsion appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting .
Electric outboard motors seem to be springing up all over the place right now. We round up 8 of the best electric outboards on the market…
Electric outboard motors are nothing new, the humble electric trolling motor has been around for decades, but in the past couple of years a new breed of more powerful units has emerged.
Capable of powering everything from a tender to a 50-knot sportsboat, this new generation of electric outboard motors will surely play a big role in the growing trend towards all-electric boats .
We’ve rounded up 8 of the best options available on the market right now to help you track down the right one for cutting your boat’s carbon footprint.
co*pact electric outboard motors for your tender
Torqeedo 603 Travel Specs
Weight: 15.5kg Power: 600W / 0.8hp Battery: 500Wh Range: 11nm Price: £1,499
Torqeedo has been making electric outboard motors for quite a while now, and their latest offering slots into the travel range of electric outboards between the 503 (1.5hp) and the 1103C (3hp).
All the usual Torqeedo refinements are present and correct. IP67 rated as totally waterproof, the 603 Travel has a magnetic kill cord and an onboard co*puter providing instant readouts of operating range at current RPM and battery-charge status displayed on the tiller arm.
You can link it to an Apple or Android app and gain even more information including a map-based range indicator.
Read more about the Torqeedo 603 Travel
Mercury Avator 7.5e Specs
Weight: 27.1kg Power: 750W / 1hp Battery: 1kWh Range: 34nm Price: TBC
Announced in early 2022 and launched less than a year later, the Mercury Avator 7.5e is the first electric unit from the world’s biggest builder of outboard engines .
The whole top plate hinges up to reveal the battery, which can be quickly removed from your electric boat or replaced for convenient charging.
It’s by no means the lightest electric outboard motor on the market, but it’s claimed range at 25% throttle is very impressive – we look forward to putting one to the test.
Read more about the Mercury Avator 7.5e
The Kicker is exceptionally light and surprisingly powerful
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Thrustme Kicker Specs
Weight: 4.4kg Power: 1kW / 1.3hp Battery: 259kWh Range: 5nm Price: £1,250
If it’s light weight and value that you prioritise over cruising range, then this Norwegian option is hard to beat.
Launched in 2021, the Kicker boasts enough range and grunt to get one person from ship to shore and back again in calm conditions, as editor Hugo proved in a week-long test.
The only downside is that the battery isn’t removable, which can make charging a little more difficult.
Read more about the Thrustme Kicker
TEMO-1000 Specs
Weight: 15kg Power: 1kW / 1.3hp Battery: 740Wh Range: Up to 1hr Price: €2,850
A brand new option from France, the TEMO-1000 doesn’t look anything like a traditional outboard motor.
The design doesn’t have any rectangular box on top, just a rudder-shaped shaft with an electric motor at the bottom and a long slim battery that simply slides down into it, connecting automatically to your electric boat without having to plug wires into it.
The tiller arm does the same, meaning it disappears co*pletely when not in use and yet it is never detached and therefore never mislaid.
Read more about the TEMO-1000
Haswing Ultima 3 Specs
Weight: 16kg Power: 1kW / 1.3hp Battery: 1.03kWh Range: 18nm Price: £1,570
A top-of-the-range option from trolling motor stalwarts Haswing, the Ultimate 3 is suitable for boats up to 7m long.
The brushless DC motor produces 3hp (claimed to be equivalent to a 4hp petrol outboard motor), and it’s available in short and long shaft versions as well as the standard length.
Not only is the detachable battery unusually light at 5kg (lightest in class, according to the manufacturer), it also connects to the engine in a single simple operation without the need for connecting cables or other fiddly parts – no bad thing when you’re bobbing about in a tender!
Read more about the Haswing Ultima 3
ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus Specs
Weight: 19.3kg Power: 1kW / 1.3hp Battery: 1,276Wh Range: 22nm Price: £1,600
The original Spirit 1.0 has actually been in production for six years with over 10,000 units built. Featuring a 1,000W brushless motor, this electric outboard motor is claimed to be equivalent to a 3hp petrol engine, ideal for tender duties or small to medium sized dinghies.
This Plus version, launched in 2020, is the same weight, size and power – the big gain is where it’s needed most, run time. It has been achieved by upgrading the battery from 1,018Wh to 1,276Wh.
At the same time, the power cord has been upgraded for durability and reliability, and the voltage has been changed from 40.7V to 48V, making it co*patible with an external 48V battery. The battery will even float if dropped overboard!
Read more about the ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus
Most powerful electric outboard motors for your sportsboat
E-Motion 180E Specs
Weight: 580kg Power: 110kW / 180hp Battery: 70kWh Range: 70nm Price: $78,990
Launched in 2021 by Canadian firm Vision Marine Technologies, the E-Motion 180E looks like a genuine alternative to the 150-200hp petrol outboard motors that power the vast majority of 18-25ft sportsboats and RIBs.
The outboard engine itself weighs around 180kg, co*pared to 216kg for a 200hp V6 Mercury Verado, but that relatively modest saving pales into co*parison next to the 400kg weight of the 70kWh battery pack.
Admittedly, a fair chunk of that will be offset by the lack of fuel tank and starter batteries, but unlike a petrol boat, the battery pack’s weight stays constant whether full or close to empty.
Read more about the E-Motion 180E
The Evoy Storm looks, feels and goes like a well-matched petrol outboard engine
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