What's the best small outboard for your tender? Part 2: 3hp electric motors | Motor Boat & Yachting

In Part Two of our head-to-head test of small outboard motors, MBY editor Hugo Andreae takes a look at the 3hp electric options from Torqeedo and ePropulsion.
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[@MotorBoatYachting]

If you've missed part one, it's over here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaLVh6JvnJmgpdk

[@chrish2996]

Hi Hugo. A fantastic demonstration on outboard engine and electric propulsion. Nick has the Torqeedo. This test proves the electric is ultimately the best. No fuel, lightweight, silent, compact storage and useable range. Great video thanks 😊

[@ScottAxel01]

I moved to the Torqeedo for my Catalina 16 sailboat replacing a 4hp Mercury Four-Stroke and have never been happier. So much quieter, instant torque and lighter. Highly recommended!

[@boatsandoutboards9070]

hi. I wonder how you charge it on your sailboat , when the boat is not connected to grid? do you use the petrol engine or the solar panels,and how long does it take to charge ? (we understand that it drains in less than an hour)

[@zigakocevar5288]

The most proffesional test I have ever seen....Congratulations!

[@RidersInBlack]

Hugo I stumbled upon this video while researching old Evinrude and Johnson 2 stroke 2 horsepower outboards. I was riveted to both parts. Excellent job and I've learned so much about the top 3 smaller engines and a couple of new electric Alternatives. Thanks for a great comprehensive and detailed review.

[@boots6891]

Thank you for your hard work on this program. On this platform it is rare to find such a professional film with superb production values. So much better than the majority of zooming cameras and hosts trying for an Oscar, instead of learning the craft of sound levels and steady cameras. 2 minutes into part 1 I subscribed Thanks again

[@rusack7174]

I chanced upon this video while looking up other engines not having anything to do with boating. I found the material detailed and practical with the comparison so compelling I went from Part 1 to Part 2 without thinking about it! I'm not a regular boater but am somewhat familiar with things in general and had not realized electrics had gone to self-contained battery packs but it makes sense with the battery tech we have today. Excellent comparison for anyone in the market.

[@terribleatfishing]

You really did a great job on this review. "Range anxiety" for me for those and the cost of electric. I use my boat for all day fishing. I currently use a 55lb trolling motor but would love an electric outboard. thank you for a solid review piece

[@javierechevarria1548]

Hi Hugo, Congratulations for these two videos. I really appreciate your honesty and professional POV. This comparision is outstanding, till the point to win an award. Never before, I have seen a direct and clear test in the car maganize, in the motor magazines as you did with these outboars. Remarkable!!

[@hugoandreae3495]

What a lovely comment. Thank you for such kind words

[@zigakocevar5288]

The most proffesional test I have ever seen....Congratulations!

[@mikeholt4660]

Very informative! Many thanks!

[@jjs3287]

Well done, excellent video.

[@edwardtumbaking2189]

Tq. Very informative tests. Definitely one can easily decide

[@jeanlucvassort6411]

nice reporting. I use an 1003L Torqueedo "since some years" on my 700 kg/6m sail boat (heavy) as an "emergency motor". I sail on a big lake. First i used & tested some trolling motors (Min...), inefficient if windy. The Torqueedo is moving my sail boat extremely easily !!!! even in windy conditions, incredible !!! very very efficient. Of course, you have to learn to control your electric consumption. Speed is NOT your friend !! i use just what i need. I am really extremely happy about this Travel 1003L long shaft. I feel safe and i know my e-capacity which is fine for me. Since i bought it many years ago, it changed my sailboating life. No issues so far, the Li ion battery keeps well it charge during yearly storage. Till now it is a non issue e-engine, excellent engineering. Partial Recharging's : about 100-125 times since new.

[@Osprey6m]

Excellent review

[@ironichumorist]

very good review.

[@actionman67]

Thanks for the video! Amazing! Wish you added the Mercury 2.5 to the comparison

[@markperrins9485]

Hi Hugo. We have the Torquedo model. I must say the first one yes I say the first one we brought we never used onboard for three months, when we eventually got to trial it or use it it never worked, complete failure. It then took 12 weeks to get another one. The service side of the product through Torquedo itself is a disaster. We went the whole two weeks holiday with out the motor. It was in Dartmouth that we rolled the motor out when it failed. As there is a service centre across the river in Dartmouth you would think we could of got a replacement but no. So long story short we could not do with out our tender motor, we’ve had petrol motors but hated them. To heavy, unreliable etc. During our months long cruise in July 2021 the high purchase premium of the motor saved us a small fortune in pontoon moorings as we rarely used pontoon moorings preferring instead to Moore or anchor just outside marinas. So in truth in that one month the Torquedo paid for itself. Great video Hugo. Thank you.

[@hugoandreae3495]

Good to know, lithium ion batteries can be tricky if left unused for long periods of time. Ideally they like to be left with some charge in them but not full charge or empty.

[@xolarwind]

I agree! Torqeedo are useless, and a bad design, hard to believe is German! Dont buy!

[@DaveWatts_ejectamenta]

But petrol or electric is the same for anchoring. Both will save you marina fees. And as this review shows, there are light petrol outboards.

[@son-of-a-gun]

After watching the vid, I decided to keep my little old honda as long as I can. I service it myself once a year and It has never let me down and has endless range as long you have a jerrycan of gas. I'm a conservative sailor and everything on board MUST be 100% reliable and predictable.

[@michaelbamber4887]

Yes, but a petrol engine can fail in so many ways. Seized up, fouled or broken plug, dirt/water in your fuel, failed ignition module, snaped starter rope, bust recoil unit, gearbox fault, need I go on? 100% reliable would have to be the electric outboard I'm afraid. You could have a second Battery.

[@thewanderingbox8253]

​@@michaelbamber4887and although there are less moving parts...there is a lot of control electronics

[@cookiemonster2299]

Brilliant, for tender purposes, electric would seem to make more sense. 👍❤️🇬🇧

[@gidejob3973]

I think this a very well done video. I also think a lot has been left out in comparing the Torqeedo and the blue version. I think you could do a whole video on the differences between the two. I have seen them in detail torn apart. Plenty to dig in. lmk if you are interested in airing out those details

[@mikemaloney5830]

The one thing you need to get use to with the Torqeedo is a slight delay after you twist the throttle. If you continue to twist the sudden jerk forward can catch you by surprise. Otherwise I love it. A second battery under the seat although expensive gives great range and peace of mind.

[@simonjohnson1]

I used a Torqedo for my dinghy on my yacht in Corfu and found that I only only needed to recharge it once or twice a year because it was so economical at low speed. No tides to fight of course.

[@futte2303]

Will you continue the series with larger engine for each section. I very much hope so I wonder if there should be others who would like to see it.

[@hugoandreae3495]

We did 5hp and 10hp engines a few years back but might repeat it again in the future

[@MotorBoatYachting]

Here's 5hp: kzbin.info/www/bejne/in7KfWqPhMyLmrs And here's 10hp: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hYSWknekYqaYq6c As Hugo says, they're a bit old now, so probably need updating...

[@viscocoa9855]

I go boating on some weekends. I may not go boating for half a year. Finally, I run my boat less than 10 times per year. Gas motors are too troublesome. I therefore used a Torqeedo 1003. I charge it after each use like a cell phone. It's just convenient.

[@mikecamrcplus3057]

For battery lifespan you should leave the battery at half charge and in the fridge. When you have to keep replacing the battery you might think different on the gas motors. Simple draining of the carb and gas tank is all that is needed to store gas motor for 5 years and just pull out put gas in it and fire it up. After 5 years you will be buying a new battery.

[@peterhatton7558]

my brother brought the torqeedo I put it on my 3meter polycraft tuffy. it didn't work well due to it having a large motor on the bottom. it torques it to one side all the time I had to angle the motor about 10 degrees to go strait so hard to keep it going in a straight line. I guess it is a learning thing, anyway I hated it ,and couldn't wait to put the Honda 2.3 back on. so much easier to use and due two not being all plastic much more real world robust. I have several thousand hours use of the Honda 2.3 engines as a crabbing tool. other then there noisy as,... it you over fill the sump to quiet them down , they seem to find their happy medium oil wise and suffer no damage.... much less noise. anyway I have had the Suzuki 2.5 the merq/tohasu 2.5 and the Yamaha 2.5 the Honda is far more reliable and robust dont crab as much as I used to but have done over 5 thousand hours and these engines the last 4000 on the Hondas ,you get about 2000 hours before the thing cries enough.

[@xolarwind]

I went back to gas engines, I have a Honda, and Tohatsu 6 HP, and they cannot be beat. Electric will be OK in 10 years, when the price comes down, and the batteries have a minimum range of 30 miles

[@harrygreenway414]

I find our cheap trolling motor very good and perfect for our inflatable tender. It weighs only 8kgs. Our separate lithium battery weighs 4 kg. It's easier to lift these onto the dinghy as two light items, than one heavy one.

[@classicarcadeamusementpark4242]

It's probably fine for your needs, but the Torqeedo & ePropultion have way more power & speed than a trolling motor. I switched from one to a Torqeedo. I upgraded because sometimes the wind or currents were too strong and I almost got stuck a few times. Huge difference in price though. A trolling motor is way cheaper. If it works for you, nothing wrong with that. I don't use mine as a tender for as a motor for my portable inflatable boat that fits in my car.

[@raykeogh1972]

That was a superb video thank you, at this early stage in technology I would only have electric as a back up. Electric is fine on a marina but out at sea on a calm day a hour in and the wind picks up? I would not trust electric to get me back. I don’t see the point of buying the Tor at over £2000 when you could possibly buy the Ep with a spare battery close to what you would pay for a Tor. Thanks for sharing, Ray K. UK. YNWA.

[@marinusk67]

I have torqeedo 1003 but put a propeller from a 503 on it . Saves me 50 watts on the same speed. Original prop is for boat's to 1500 kg. So on a little dingy a bigger prop work's better. Don't know if you could buy a bigger prop for the 1103

[@PhilbyFavourites]

Firstly a great pair of videos 👍🏻👍🏻. Over the years I’ve used various two and four stroke outboards. As they get newer they become quieter, hence the Seagull Silver Century of the 1960’s was a bullet proof but incredibly loud introduction to outboards and their vibrations. The Seagull vibrated off the transom in a local harbour run some 25 years ago - I still have nightmares… So electric seems to be the way to go. But, with the Epropulsion version it seemed awfully easy to remove (quite possibly steal) the battery pack. You’d like to think that Marinas’ are a safe haven for boaters but I can’t help have a twinge of fear when leaving such an easily removable asset in a public place. Can the battery be secured (theft proof) to the main unit? The transom locks are pretty much standard now across all manufacturers, maybe battery locks are going to explode onto the aftermarket?

[@hugoandreae3495]

Good question, I’ll see if I can find out

[@trevorstellrecht6116]

Just put the battery in the cabin. Easy to remove and keep out of the sun. You're going to do that anyway to recharge it.

[@xenu-dark-tony]

How on earth did you manage to set this up? To borrow all those brand new motors, hang them in turn on the transom and then give a really good account of each of them... It was a really wonderful mass review. Thank you so much.

[@MotorBoatYachting]

Thanks, so glad you enjoyed the video! Tests like this require a lot of preparation, which is why we only do 1 per year - what would you like to see reviewed in this way next?

[@MrJustus88]

I really need any one of those outboards. Would love if the price was better for the EV motors. No way i can afford that

[@brownnoise357]

having had a hard time getting back to shore on a 2 seat Pedolo off a Spanish Beach, when the 2 of us on were very young and extremely Fit, when the Wind changed and the sea state deteriorated suddenly, so rough, my friend was Seasick, Frankly these electric propulsion devices in a Marine Environment Horrify Me. Why ? Simple, and answered in two words - "Energy Density". On that pedalo, we had good energy density, and were able to peddle for over 3 hours, before our Energy Capacity was exhausted. We survived, because someone in a speedboat saw we were in trouble, and towed us in with Petrol e gives. Batteries are going to have to progress a heck of a long way towards the energy density of Petrol. Optimistically, with the state of technology right now, that looks to be in about the 30 to 50 years range into the Future. Sorrynto be a Debbie Downer, but it is Capacity to do Real Work what it is- totally Lacking versus Petrol. Its far worse when compared to the Energy Density of the very best "battery", which is Diesel Fuel. 🤔

[@tomulator]

Can you solar charge (while using it) the E Propulsion motor like the Torquedo can?

[@craybro]

Electric outboards clearly are the future for tenders once the price drops (a lot) and the performance matches petrol

[@GoogleUser-yj1wy]

No electric outboard are rubbish long term

[@l.siestador7248]

@@GoogleUser-yj1wy how would you know that if they're new? Brushless motors should last a long time.

[@waynegilchrist1596]

The safety chord that you put on your ankle is simply for that rare occasion when you are thrown out of your tinder by a large unexpected wake or hitting some object while under way. Seems to me, judging by the position you take while steering, that you would be far more comfortable if you placed the chord around your wrist. Then you can put your legs on the proper side of the seat and easily remove it when you are not moving. The ankle method is more for surf boards or paddle boards where you stand up. Outboards are expensive anyway so the cost of these isn't that far from a typical name brand petrol model. But I still think the price should come down and the volume of sales would still assure a reasonable profit to the manufacturer. For a small tinder or short trip vessel these ranges are ok but where I live in Louisiana in the States, we use our boats for work and recreation so considering range and charge times, this wouldn't work for me.

[@DaveWatts_ejectamenta]

Range is not an issue, until you get stranded somewhere, then it’s a big issue. But great review, perhaps the best one I’ve seen so far. One suggestion, include the 3.5hp four stroke mercury or mariner outboards, they also weigh 18kg, like the Yamaha, but should be able to plane 2 up, that’s a big difference.

[@clintperry799]

I would go with the Suzuki.

[@mattwright2964]

Plus little need for maintenance. I use a petrol outboard for fishing trips to lochs which gers kittle use but has to be serviced every year. Factor that cost in and the electric outboards are not too pricey.

[@AlrightThanks]

Can you buy any generic tiller extensions available online, and attach it to the e-propulsion ? Thanks.

[@darthkek1953]

I'd say the eProp if only so you don't have that "orange spike" from Torq to lose.

[@music-jj2pl]

The other thing that has me considering electric is my 6hp 4 stroke weighs about 70lbs. These weigh 40lbs and you can have 20lbs in each hand. I have a sail boat and it would save my back as I put the outboard on before launching at the ramp.

[@darrenjones3681]

Hugo great article what type and model of tender is this please? Is there much difference in the performance of these with say a rib hull tender, an air deck tender and a salted or rigid floor tender please ?

[@garryrobson]

Which would you buy, the Torqeedo 603 or the Haswing Ultima 3?

[@robertlewisvideo]

Which Model ePropulsion were you testing? Thanks

[@origin178]

Based on this review, I can't imagine why anybody would choose the Torqueedo over the E-propulsion. Less range, less warranty, more expensive, and FWIW it even looks uglier. Always nice to see Lymington in the sun!

[@BJS414]

The corrosion protection on the Epropulsion is a joke. It is unacceptable and typical crap quality product.

[@BJS414]

@MrAbletospeak I have practcal experience of that motor. And the environment is not particularly corrosive. No problems with quality outboards from Honda etc. You just have to look at the Epropulution and compare it to Honda, Yamaha outboards you will see it is not a serious quality product.

[@BJS414]

@MrAbletospeak I have the Epropulsion. It is in winter storage now but badly corroded in different places after just a couple of years. I can take photos later. I have experience from 10 different outboards Yamaha Honda Suzuki Mercury used in the same water and no real problems with corrosion. My Honda BF20 is 13 years old and no signs of corrosion. The surface treatment and aluminium alloy is a joke on the Epropulsion compared to the established quality outboard brands. They will all be used in the same water so the quality have to be up there where it needs to be.

[@noobjitsu1743]

The toqeedo is made in germany and my close friend has had one for 16 years and he just rebuilt it with a better battery and motor for this year. It was one of the oldest torqeedos the representative has ever heard of and the first model ever produced. I have been around the last 8 years we have used it and it has been phenominal. The Epropulsion is made in china and 90% of things made in china suck so personally I would be hesistant.

[@classicarcadeamusementpark4242]

The reasons are: Will you still be able to buy a replacement battery in 10 years for your ePropultion? Torqeedo has already reached past that. Trust. Torqeedo invented this kind of motor. ePropultion did nothing more than try to copy it. Do you buy Coke or Sam's Choice? Some of us want the real thing. Getting them serviced. I believe Torqeedo offers more service centers, but I guess what is important is how close a service center is to you. Torqeedo is way more widely in circulation. There are a lot more users to ask questions to and get help. Can you buy a battery or parts locally? With a Torqeedo, you probably can. Ultimately, any product will likely require servicing eventually, so your ability to get one serviced is important.

[@surferatapollobay1341]

What was the weight of the dinghy..i have just restored a mirror dinghy .45kg

[@6977202865]

Electrics and water go very well together!! We all know that! I also like you can recharge it on the spot and keep going for ever......!!

[@Jamie-hu8fq]

E Propulsion also has the ability to charge whilst being pulled along if under sail.

[@hugoandreae3495]

You need the Evo model for that feature

[@Jamie-hu8fq]

@@hugoandreae3495 but it is available and in that horse power aswell. Also need to take into account that the e propulsion is a cheaper unit than the torqeedo.

[@johnbeard5001]

Can you show me how you keep it from being taken when leaving boat why you do your shopping

[@fredturk6447]

Thanks for your review. I would like to summarise the pros and cons between the Torqueedo travel 1103 and the ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 plus and take a quick dive into battery tech which I think is an important difference between Torqueedo and ePropulsion. Very much appreciate any comments, extra info or corrections. have watched a number of videos on these electric outboards and tried to sort out if the ePropulsion spirit 1.0 plus is better than the Torqueedo travel 1103 or not. On face value the ePropulsion outboard has a bigger battery giving it more range and is cheaper than the Torqueedo. The ePropulsion also appears easier to assemble, has a single more robust battery connector and the the battery floats. The ePropulsion also comes with 3 shaft length options instead of two for Torqueedo. The Torqueedo has gps allowing it to give you speed and make range estimates while the ePropulsion only gives battery charge and power information. The Torqueedo tiller can be raised about 70 degrees but the tiller on the ePropulsion I gather can only go up about 30 degrees. So the tiller arm will be more in the way on the ePropulsion. The ePropulsion battery does not need a retaining pin. Speed on the water and noise levels seem about the same. I have seen a Torqueedo travel 1003, in the flesh, but not the ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 plus or the Torqueedo 1103 So on the face of it the ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 plus is a better deal being cheaper and having a 1276Wh battery compared to the Torqueedo 915Wh battery. Not so fast! Let’s consider the lithium ion battery technologies used by ePropulsion and Torqueedo. Disclaimer It is hard to be sure about the battery details for these two outboards and some times there is conflicting information on the web. First lets review lithium battery technology. There are a number of lithium battery chemistries involving combinations of lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, iron and phosphate. Then there are different packaging systems cylindrical, pouch, etc and different electrolyte types, liquid, gel, solid. The gel or polymer electrolyte I think maybe the worst for thermal runaway - not sure? It appears that Torqueedo uses a Lithium, nickel, manganese, cobalt (LMNC) chemistry packaged as cylindrical cells, probably 18650 size. This is resilient structure not upset by vibration , and shock and good for heat dissipation. These cells properly managed should not get overheated and catch fire. However, a Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry would have been safer but less energy dense. ePropulsion appears to use a lithium polymer (LiPo) cell (gel electrolyte) in foil pouches (prismatic?) stacked on top of each other. I don’t know what chemistry they are using but I don’t think it’s LFP either. So my take on this is ePropulsion have used the worst packaging system for their battery. The Torqueedo battery is therefore, likely to be intrinsically more resilient and safer. In both battery systems the battery management hardware is also critically important in stopping thermal runaway. Also making sure water gets nowhere near the battery or BMS is critically important. I don’t know the differences in moisture sealing or BMS quality between ePropulsion and Torqueedo. I think Torqueedo had a moisture seal issue with some earlier batteries causing a recall and fix. I cannot quantify the comparative level of risk of thermal failure or shock damage between the Torqueedo battery and the ePropulsion battery. However I can say I would rather the Torqueedo battery on my boat locker or in my cupboard at home than the ePropulsion battery. If you have a view on this or have more information or can correct me if I am wrong I would very much appreciate hearing from you.

[@fredturk6447]

@Xin Liu I think you misunderstood, unfortunately I think Torqueedo uses lithium ion not LFP. However Torqueedo uses cylindrical metal cells rather than pouch cells. I think the cylindrical cells are much more robust than the pouch cells.

[@viscocoa9855]

The best idea is allowing users to plug in their external 24v battery. Nowadays, LiFePO4 is very cheap.

[@dfgdfg_]

Pretty sure they both use Li-Ion, someone chopped open a Torqeedo battery pack on youtube and it was all 18650 cells.

[@robertlewisvideo]

Great Review. Which model of ePropulsion did you use in this review. Thanks

[@hugoandreae3495]

It was the Spirit 1.0. But not the Evo model

[@robertlewisvideo]

@@hugoandreae3495 Thank You.

[@markmaugle4599]

I have had a Torquedo 1003 for 4 yrs and charge the battery on my boat. Because I have to tow my dinghy i leave the motor on the dinghy and bring battery on board.

[@tonyyates2012]

There seems to be a wide chasm between, doing the job and doing the job well.

[@stephenb7333]

you can get 7 hp 1800kw brushless motor with free delivery (royal mail) with 2 yr warranty for 414 pounds..just thinking.lol.great review hugo.

[@stephenb7333]

oh i forgot to mention.its 14 kg

[@stephenb7333]

and its 48v.lol

[@stephenb7333]

its swiss stock as well.but ofcourse of chineese origin.

[@stephenb7333]

lastly.its on ebay.lol

[@darthkek1953]

@@stephenb7333 mate I'd rather work on the set of an Alec Baldwin movie than click that link.

[@goproracertv]

Would these drive a narrow boat

[@booger8020]

Suzuki DF2.5S price 690$ free shipping (onlineoutboards), bought mine with 100$ rebate. So 590$. Half the price of Yamaha. I use it on Hobie Outback. 3/4qt of gas per 3hrs at 2 to 3mph.

[@atoiler1389]

Cheapest I am finding near me is $1000. No rebate available

[@joshuahales2372]

How much does the rib weigh

[@BuhdaPunk]

Plus, I think that is a little small for that rib. maybe a Merc 250. will not need to dry your hair if it gets wet, will keep you cool from the 40-60 knot breeze. won't hear anyone that you may run over and best of all, can't hear any complaining wives or wife-mums. The reverse works great on the 250 as well, if you get your timing down you can eject or offboard everyone from the rib to the transient, key or beach in under a second.

[@dfgdfg_]

😂

[@allans7281]

As a catamaran sailor when you move silently through the water it is magical. The little outboard gas engines get on your nerves after a short while

[@nerd1000ify]

Especially the 2-strokes. I have a Mercury 3.3 hp 2 stroke on my Caper Cat- at low speed it shakes your teeth out (it has fixed ignition timing, which results in 'four stroking' or misfiring every second revolution at low speed) at high speed it sounds like a box of angry wasps and I can barely hear my partner shouting at me. Fuel economy is pretty bad, about 1hr from 1.4L of fuel at 3/4 throttle. And of course there's the pollution... Sadly the electric outboards are far more expensive than I can afford, so I'd at least like to move to a 4-stroke.

[@ivok496]

Great reviews, both parts, but what happened to the Selva? it wasn't mentioned? Really enjoyed this one!

[@jackhaines123]

It’s at the end of part 1 of the video.

[@ivok496]

@@jackhaines123 I certainly saw that :) hence my comment why it’s not at the end of part 2 when at the end there is an overview of 5 engines not 6…

[@jackhaines123]

@@ivok496 The Selva turned up a day late so we had to shoot it separately from the others, hence why the weather is different, too!

[@ivok496]

@@jackhaines123 Got ya! Anyway I loved this comparison, especially putting the electric outboards as well. Well done.

[@CVEIWKID]

I like to spend the day on the water electric isn't quite there yet .

[@boatsandoutboards9070]

how long does it take to recharge a torqueedo battery when you're on a sailboat with solar panels? or do you need to run the main (petrol) engine or the generator on the sailboat for some time? or do you need to connect to marina electric? how long does it take to recharge in each case

[@adammazengarb7923]

Hi, what size boat is that on? Cheers

[@MotorBoatYachting]

We used a 2.75m F-RIB

[@arnoldfoote1925]

Your up selling the EV, that's for sure, but the charge time compared to adding more Petrol, doesn't cut for someone that needs more than one hour run time, say for spending the day fishing.

[@grahamsmyth2743]

Wondering about the longevity of the batteries, how many re charge cycles before they pack up. Li-Ion battery hand tools are usually good for 1000 charging cycles. Can almost hear the howls of derision when owners have to replace the battery after 3-4 years, there you are sir, that's £859 !!

[@noobjitsu1743]

My buddy used the same battery for 16 years and just had to get a new one. We use it for freshwater fishing and have never had an issue until near the end

[@jhill4874]

Safe. Unless you short the battery. But then that can't happen around water. Quite expensive. All that, I still like the idea of electric outboards.

[@BJS414]

The corrosion protection on the Epropulsion is a joke.

[@simonhealy4976]

Shame you didn't test the Temo

[@douglasthompson2740]

Electrics just don't have it. I don't know what you mean by "you just don't use it"? Do you never explore beaches, moor in harbors that involve long distances to landing points you wish to visit, run around to diving spots, etc. etc.? 18 hours to recharge it makes it totally unusable. Plus twice the price and even three times or five or six if you want an extra battery!! Also the battery has a life itself which is both use and time sensitive before you have the major expense of replacing it. Electronics really don't appreciate water, most especially salt water and I noticed as part of the procedure to mount the unit you dunked the handle which houses electronics. I am guessing that the computer boards that it uses will be very expensive to replace as well. Put that together with being stored in damp lockers leads me to guess this is going to be a high maintenance and costly type of power unless it morphs considerably. But then I don't do tie and tail boating from restaurant to restaurant being more reality based. In my world the skiff motor leads a tough life not a pampered millionaire's existence. It needs to go when I want it to go not when it is ready the next day! One hour's run time doesn't even put it out of the expensive toy class.

[@tradeprepper8318]

Yep😊

[@shiningirisheyes]

Electric with boat that has solar panels 24 v and 800 watts or more and 24 v of 100 plus amps using LiFE battery and suitable fast charger a two hour recharge is ok However with lead acid battery 1000 watt generator sorts defeats the purpose better to just go petro types The Silva looks good for spare parts with supply lines very upside down Viva Italy . For me Silva is the best of all . What's not mentioned is the EPropildion version electric to my knowledge are using LiPo battery which are about ,500 cycle battery The other electric torgello uses 1000. Cycle 18650 types and packs are pricy last I saw If we look E Propildion packs and estimate average 4 knots and average of 1 hour for the packs and £800 for each pack that works out at about 40 cents a Nautical mile or 1.50 per charge cycle giving 4 Nautical miles . If e propulsion pack is cheaper reconfigure maths Bear in mind the pack at 4 Nautical mile multiplied by 500 cycles is probably going to North of 1500 mile life span and that's a lot of seasons for many users Slower speeds could reduce these electric battery life costs I would suspect the four stroked to work out at more like 20 cents per NMile but service cost might be higher for regular users . It looks to be petro moght be superior for infrequent users but even Stephens for electric versus petrol for tender boat regular users If capsizing the dingy and restart after righting the tender is vital I suspect the electric types could prove superior . I think we need the same test with capsizing in sea water to see which is best could be important for auxiliary for sailing dingy like mirror dingy or cats like Hobie 14 etc

[@simonlangmead7]

Having a quiet electric outboard is nice, BUT, if you’re touring on a boat and towing a tender, how are you going to recharge it? You don’t have access to 120 volts AC power and even if you do, it takes hours to charge it. I like having the freedom of exploring where I want never having to think about range. As far as gas engine noise, I’ll bring ear plugs, ear muffs or wear both. Range anxiety problem solved.

[@DovileDrulyte]

1:27

[@anthonycraig274]

I would have loved to see how easy they are to charge.

[@willarddevoe5893]

Gas is much lighter and longer running and i like my 4 cycle air cooled.

[@gerhardvanwaltsleben8944]

Lekker man lekker

[@kuladeeluxe]

I'd go gas. Probably last way longer. I'd hate charging those up.

[@metaldetectingbc6838]

At this point in time I'll stick with gas. But I'm sure that will change in the near future.

[@ammerudgrenda]

I like the quietness of electric, but at almost 3 times the price.. 🤔

[@xolarwind]

I have a Torqeedo 1103, and it's useless except for short trips around the harbor. Way too expensive, it has no range unless you go at 2knot, and the design is awkward, hard to believe is German! You have to plug these two multiple small pins cables, very hard to line up unless you are very young eyes, and impossible to do with cold hands. The wind usually days for me 8-10 miles from my berth, and the Torqeedo cant make it, unless I want to get home at midnight. Torqeedo tells me that I should carry a spare battery, but at $1,000 for one, there's no way. I junked the Torqeedo and went back to my trusted Tohatsu with infinite range. I DONT RECOMMEND THE TORQEEDO, unless you do very short runs, plus WAY too expensive!

[@classicarcadeamusementpark4242]

When purchasing a motor, there are other things to consider than just some minor differences and minor prices differences. You should also consider the likelyhood that the batteries will still be produced years from now, that you can buy parts for it, and that you can have it repaired if needed, and they you can find plenty of support online and people to ask questions to. Torqeedo is way more established than ePropultion. Here in the USA, I have an official service center an hour away. I don't think the ePropultion motors are anywhere near as widely in distribution or in circulation. The ePropultion is nothing more than a direct copy of the Torqeedo. The Torqeedo Travel was a very unique product when it came out. Do you drink Coke or Sam's Choice? More than 10 years later, you can still buy batteries, get them serviced and buy basic parts for them, often locally. I doubt the same is true of any of Torqeedo's competitors, and for a while, they had none.

[@paulreportingliv]

You got to be joking!!! We live in a fast paced world. Who’s going to wait 8-11 hours to charge?? Or spend more money to buy more batteries?? Imagine being stuck on the river with a dead battery that’s a danger to people safety… But if you run out of gas, bring a Jerry can with you to top up until you get back home. Gas is still the winner…👍 A 6 to 12 hp is way cheaper than Electric and all its batteries and gas so cheap to run on these motors. You’ve got to be joking.…

[@dfgdfg_]

Bought and returned a torqeedo 1103 short. Their sales & support staff are permanently out to lunch - if anything goes wrong with it you're sh*gged. Polymer proper immediately chipped itself to pieces on some shingle, and the tiny little connectors are asking to be broken. So many proprietary bits to lose as well. It's the outboard equivalent of an iPad. Back to a Honda BF6, metal prop, no bits to lose, nothing to easily steal. Bog standard kill cord. Muuuuch happier. Apart from the noise of course. Next experiment - get an old 3.3 two stroke, tear off powerhead and frakenstein a Lynch (UK) electric motor onto the top and DIY a LiFePO4 24V battery for the best of both worlds.

[@paulnicholls2921]

I can only echo the comments below regarding back up from Torqeedo. It is non existent in my experience. My 1103 is corroding away before my eyes. If you are looking to purchase an electric outboard do not include a Torqeedo on your list of options.

[@MatthewFordVictoria]

If you're stuck somewhere with an Electric Motor, you can hook it up to a Solar Panel and sure... it will take some time to recharge it, but you'll eventually be going again! However, if you're stuck somewhere with a Gas Motor and there's nowhere to get fuel, you're Really Stuck!!!

[@mwhi475]

Hmm.. This thing looks like something you cobbled together out of bits of junk in your garage. It's eyewatering expensive only gives you a very limited cruising time and I wonder what the state of that push in pull out electric plug will be after a year or so use around the saltwater. Petrol outboards are now sleek compact and a joy to look at and use. They are highly refined over years of design, reliable and will run all day on a small tank of petrol. If you are going to want to wring your hands over saving the planet, I don't think this is the place to start.

[@fatlostmedia1376]

Id take any of those gas powered engines over the electric ones all day, all year long.

[@hugohabicht9957]

Good luck .

[@itsmePassportBro]

What about the higher chance of theft when you're in the Asian countries or African, poor countries?

[@henryrooyakkers8510]

It's all fun and games but when it's come to speed even a swimming duck is faster.

[@stuartcrane9409]

Let’s dispel your comment “electric engines are clean” the pollution just takes place elsewhere! Children are used to create the battery! Unethical? Give me a petrol powered engine all day long! Personally range anxiety always!

[@steveputland4324]

The electric motors look garbage!

[@japyoo2248]

So slowwwwwww