Torqeedo electric outboard

[John Kennett]

www.torqeedo.com
www.g-comm.co.uk

These caught my eye at the boat show today. Very cool electric outboard with built in battery packs. Some blurb:

The revolutionary boat drive: ultra lightweight, ultra mobile, ultra strong

The foldable Torqeedo outboards with integrated lithium-manganese high-performance battery redefine mobility:

* With their integrated lithium-manganese, high-performance battery, the Travel motors are the only electric outboard motors which do not need an external battery connection.
* The Torqeedo Travel is a true lightweight: with a total weight of 11.4 kg (short shaft version) including battery, it is asserting itself as the lightest outboard on the market.
* The Travel models are the only foldable outboard motors available on the market. They come in a waterproof travel pack and, hence, are unique with regard to their transportability. With their dimensions of 310 x 320 x 450 mm, they can easily be stowed away on board or at home.
* Together with the BaseTravel and Torqeedo Cruise models, the Travel models are the most efficient motors around at the moment. Their efficiency is up to twice that of the conventional motors.

The sum total of these properties make a Torqeedo Travel motor into the perfect drive for small boats, dinghies, tenders, jollies, and daysailors up to 1.5 tons of displacement. There is simply no competition when it comes to performance, transport and space-saving storage – both on board and on land.

They're not going to set any speed records, but it looks like they'd be great for quietly bimbling about in an inflatable, or possibly even as an auxiliary for a smallish RIB.

Would be interesting to see how well they work in practise.

[bogib]

We will get our shipment in late February early March.

Look forward testing it

Bogi

[codprawn]

I posted some youtube videos on these ages ago.

Bet they would be handy for special forces - quiet and fold into a rucksack!!!


2 ribs fitted with them.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tK_3PJsUW7Q

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=A94olNSKwoc

and a good test on a medium size RIB

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=p14p9T0Bovs

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IPosvf...e=channel_page

[samt]

Tested one at work in the summer (not a folding one). Nice bit of kit, but was never going to be durable enough for what we wanted it for.

We've tried several other makes, and the combi electric outboards from thames electric are the only ones that stand up to the abuse.

Also tried a few hybrid outboards, powerhead replaced with a electric motor. These would work well, but theyre geared for a petrol motor, the electric ones run much slower, so although they have the power it cant be used.

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by samt

We've tried several other makes, and the combi electric outboards from thames electric are the only ones that stand up to the abuse.

Do you have a linky?

[Nos4r2]

They do look a good idea but still bloody expensive compared with a petrol outboard of the equivalent power though-Force 4 has the 801 Travel listed at £1124.55 and the 401 Travel at £967.96

There seems to be quite a huge price difference between the base and the ones with integrated batteries too-the base travel is showing at £489.25 on marine superstore.

[samt]

Originally Posted by malthouse

Do you have a linky?

http://www.thameselectric.com/combi.html

They are quite heavy, we use them on some of our hire fleet for over 5 years, they have stood up to alot of abuse.

[Jorgos]

Originally Posted by codprawn

I posted some youtube videos on these ages ago.

Bet they would be handy for special forces - quiet and fold into a rucksack!!!


2 ribs fitted with them.

here the first rib tows the second ( total more than 2.5 tones) . Force wind 4 and gives 1,5 knots head on and 2 knots sideays.


And here is a new video with a 8 meter rib and the torqeedo 801 . 3,2 knots on a nicely balanced rib .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7RgM...eature=related

[Jorgos]

here on my "marin" tender
[YOUTUBE]<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FnAEUFBsx34&hl=en&fs=1&hd=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FnAEUFBsx34&hl=en&fs=1&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]

[John Kennett]

Torqeedo have a couple of new models out, as seen at the London Boat Show this week - the Travel 503 and Travel 1003.

They are more powerful than the Travel 401 and 801, and unusually for electric outboards they are now quoting hp equivalents. They are claiming 1.5hp for the 503, and 3hp for the 1003.

There are also some other general improvements:

Fully submersible, all rated IP67
Integrated GPS and information display gives you real time range information
20% higher power
10% better efficiency
30% higher battery capacity for the 1003

They don't have the folding leg, and are generally bigger all round, so they don't pack down so small. They have also lost the very cool minimalist look of the earlier models.

Prices for the 503 are £1149 (short) and £1199 (long) with the 1003 at £1349 and £1399

[Jorgos]

The 801 and 401 will stay on the market, because the folding ability is very usefull for many people.
The 503 and 1003 are realy tough motors and ideal as light auxiliary engines

[lightning]

I was talking to a guy last summer on the Broads, he had one of these on his SIB. Said it was superb, but only had a running time of 3 hours maximum. so would be great on a tender, as long as you remembered to keep it charged, but you'd have to be careful how far you went on a river/canal trip.

[Jorgos]

801 and 401 have 1/2 hour and 1 hour running time at full speed , and 6 hours both at a speed of 1,5 knots (at a dinghy).

[rdash]

I have an 801 on the tender. It's light, easy to use and charges quickly. I reckon it's pretty good on any tender up to 3 man after which don't bother. Only problem for me is to keep all those fiddly orange plastic keys in right place. Other blighter is it's ++uncheap.