Honda Electric Outboard Coming?

[FWT]

Apparently coming soon.

https://electrek.co/2023/02/01/honda...tor-for-boats/

[Porgy]

It looks like the battery would be separate unlike the Torqeedo and it’s copies. Also, it looks like they want to incorporate the swappable battery pack that the Japanese motorcycle manufacturers are trying to standardize. While swapping batteries like you do for propane tanks might not be quite as relevant as it is for motorcycles and scooters, I’d guess a larger inventory of standardized batteries across product lines might help reduce costs.

[Pete Meisinger]

Some cordless tool manufacturers do not supply batteries when you buy their tool. It is an "add on". In most cases an expensive add on, sometimes close to the cost of the tool.

While the idea of having a half dozen extra batteries on hand for longer excursions may sound like a good idea, in fact it may be cost prohibitive.

pete

[Porgy]

Honda’s battery looks like 1300+ Wh. That’s more than Torqeedo Travel and ePropulsion. So it’s range would likely be comparable. If wanted for a specific excursion, one might be able to rent an additional battery pack from a kiosk and return when done. Something that can’t be done now by the others.

[Blissboat]

Originally Posted by FWT

Apparently coming soon.

https://electrek.co/2023/02/01/honda...tor-for-boats/

If Honda launches a line of electric outboard motors, I hope their service and support network will be able to ramp-up sufficiently. Service and support for Honda's gasoline outboards is surprisingly poor, at least here in Jacksonville, FL. I have owned two Honda outboards, and bought them expecting a quality product with support to match, but can no longer recommend them.

[C lectric]

Off topic a bit I guess but,

My wife was bugging me for an electric O/B. due to my back trouble. I can still lift, barely, my gas 8hp Yamaha 2 cycle at 60#.

We would have needed the 6HP Torqueedo to do close to what I wanted.
At 15 knots my current 8HP O.B takes 15 - 20 minutes to get me and ~100# of prawn gear across the channel.

I have had a 2.5hp engine before and the same trip, same dinghy, was close to an hour. If rough it was not a nice trip. I have, by the way , rowed it at something over 2 hrs.

THe need lasted untill we found out the O/B was $6,000 ++ Cdn..
Then of course we needed the large battery, case about the size of an 8D although it may weigh less, and oddly enough the battery was more expensive, about $6,500+. So basically 13,000 + tax.

However ,it was a usefull exercise. I will either purchase or make a mast capable of easily lifting and swinging the O/B over to the dingbat so all I have to do is some light pushing and pulling of lines.

The E O/B will bear watching though. Demand will increase , improvements will come and likely prices will drop.

[Blissboat]

Originally Posted by C lectric

Demand will increase , improvements will come and likely prices will drop.

Yep. That's how the innovation cycle has always worked, and there's little reason to doubt that it will work that way in the transition from internal combustion engines to electric propulsion. Innovators and early-adopters take the risks, while the market waits and watches for the right time to abandon the technologies it knows for the advantages of new ones.