Electric Inboard Boat Engine by Torqeedo

Electric Inboard Boat Engine by Torqeedo

How do we live in 2015 without an electric boat?  Much to our dismay, (and to Mother Nature’s dismay, I’m sure), we’re still chugging around in fossil-fuel-injected technology of old.  However, Torqeedo is innovating fast with its growing line of electric outboard motors.  Finally, it has come out with its new shaft-drive version of its Deep Blue motor, which means we I/O and inboard boaters finally have a modern solution.

Quiet, low-maintenance, fume-free and environmentally friendly.  What a sales pitch, and I’d love to be a Torqeedo salesperson for just one day, since I imagine it’s fairly easy.  Most perplexing is that boats – who spend the most amount of time in sunlight and in wind – have lagged behind cars and buses in the conversion to electric.  So far, some innovators have taken on diesel/electric propulsion, like Greenline Yachts.  But by far and away, it looks like Torqeedo is locking down the future of this market by pursuing technology with ranges in the 100-mile zone, with speed outputs of around 18MPH.

In the recreational market, the maintenance benefits alone are worth almost any price.  Anyone who is mechanically inclined and who understands combustion engines knows that the output of combustion engines are subject to heavy heat loss and lots of misdirected energy.  Meanwhile, one battery connected to one electric motor that spins one prop shaft is a beautiful thing, without the literally hundreds of parts necessary for a typical engine.  Talk about K-I-S-S – Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Perhaps even more exciting than the recreational opportunities are the commercial ones: "Deep Blue inboard on recreational vessels is a lot of fun, but it also offers a compelling option to the diesel-dominated market of tour boats, water taxis, workboats and larger sailboats," said Chris Carroll, Torqeedo vice president of sales and marketing. "The 1,400 rpm version takes advantage of the high torque available to propel heavy loads efficiently. This ends up saving our commercial customers thousands of dollars in fuel and maintenance costs over time."  It seems to me that commercial vessels – many of whom operate for short periods in-between layups (think, ferry) – would be ideal contenders for electric.

According to Torqeedo, charging is incredibly simple. Users just plug in and walk away. The high-voltage lithium batteries are manufactured in the US by Johnson Controls to Torqeedo's exacting standards of quality. They carry an industry-leading nine-year, 80% capacity warranty.  I, for one, will be thrilled to never have to see a gas-dock; never have to turn on a blower; never have to smell like a school bus; and never have to fix another silly mechanical part.

www.torqeedo.com for more information.