Torqeedo electric outboards versus gas

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I got my E-propulsion Spirit 1.0 from Electric Propulsion for Sail & Power from AHM

Drop shipped from the importer in California. The E-propulsion site should have a list of US dealers.. (oops....Link above but does not appear to include some dealers...).

It might be noted they've been in the world market since 2015 as I recall. Lots of YOUTOOB videos online from all over the world..
 
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For those seeking an electric outboard, why not just use a trolling motor and a battery? It seems like a much cheaper solution, similar power, similar weight, etc. The only hassle I see is that depending on how your davits work, you might need to remove the battery to load the dinghy on the boat.


I ask because I have a dinghy that I use exclusively for shuttling back and forth between a dock and a mooring. It's a limited range with recharge capability while stored. Seems like an ideal application for an electric motor.


But I too have been a bit surprised by the cost of the Torqeedo, and a bit concerned by some of the user reports. Then I remembered that I have an old trolling motor sitting in my garage, and thought, what's the difference, and why not use that?
 
One advantage with Elco is that they've been around since before dirt.

I've always been keeping my eye out for an auxiliary propulsion system for our 19' square stern canoe. Had a 5-hp 2-stroke gas outboard for a while, which did double duty more often as our dinghy outboard. Weighed 46 lbs. That was the minimum recommended HP for the old dinghy, max for the canoe.

Dealing with ethanol was a pain... and then we got the new dinghy, needed (wanted) more HP, wanted 4-stroke, wanted EFI, wanted battery start... so we sold off the 5-hp gas...

The 5-hp electric Elco, with 24V battery system, looks like a decent canoe solution EXCEPT for the weight. 65-lbs instead of 46. Plus the weight of the batteries.

And there's still the charging system to solve.

The small Torqeedo motors seem to address that weight thing better, but... reviews have been so mixed, and they're so proud of their products, that I haven't been able to warm to that as our best solution.

(I've discounted Lehr propane systems for the same reason.)

Minn Kota, maybe...

In the grand scheme of things, this is only an idea buzzing around in the back of my brain, though, so I haven't really worried about follow-thru...

-Chris
 
For TwistedTree; the reason you wouldn't just use a trolling motor and a battery is that these purpose built electrics are more robust and can push your dinghy a lot stronger/faster than a trolling motor, and no need for a separate large battery box. We have gas now but looking very seriously at swapping it for an ePropulsion motor, would not buy a Torqueedo due to the noise level.
the ePropulsion Spirit model is about $1900, which is just a tad more than a new gas Tohatsu, and actually less cost than a new gas Honda 9hp, and you'd no longer be spending $ on gas.
Battery technology is on a fast ramp-up and they've come so far since when Torqueedo first came out.
This is a great video: video comparing Torq vs. ePropulsion.
The other big advantage no one mentioned: it allows you to remove all gas from your trawler, if you have a diesel trawler. Plus, imagine in the floor of your dinghy how much more foot room you'd have: no battery and no gas tank...
 
I have had a Torqeedo 1003 for over ten years. I have had zero problems with it. Not once have I gotten a bad batch of electrons. I use it to push my 10' rib and my 10' hard dinghy. It pushes the rib along at about 3 knots and will get the hard dink up to 4-5. To combat range anxiety I have two batteries. I bought it after have to clean the carb on my 4 stroke Mercury 6 times in a season - it has to be taken apart and ultrasonically cleaned at a cost of $100 each time. Ethanol free gas is now available locally so I may clean the carb on the Merc again and see how it runs after 10 years in the shed. I charge my Torqeedo with solar on the big boat and have found the solar electrons work just the same as those from the wall socket at home.


Here is a short video of me cruising in my hard dink with the Torqeedo.


 
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sledge said:
We have gas now but looking very seriously at swapping it for an ePropulsion motor, would not buy a Torqueedo due to the noise level.
Click to expand...


Would the difference in sound be noticeable if the props were in the water?

Sounded to me like the Torqeedo prop was spinning at higher RPMs than the ePropulsion, but of course that could have been because of the difference in noise level.

-Chris
 
Chris, good question but there are some other videos on the two companies you can find on Youtube where people are using them in the water and it still seems like ePropulsion is significantly quieter...
 
A large part of the cost difference between a Torqueedo/eProp and a trolling motor is the lithium battery. That makes it a lot lighter than a trolling motor and LA battery. Of course you can buy a lithium for the trolling motor, but then it will cost nearly as much.

The whine from the Torqueedo is from the spur gears in the motor. The eProp is direct drive, no whine. Also the very latest Torqueedo model is direct drive. People who have driven them both in the water say the direct drive is much quieter, whichever brand.
 
What are you people on about regarding noise from a Torqeedo?

I've got one that I've used on our 9' inflatable dinghy and it's considerably quieter than any gas engine I've ever used. It doesn't whine at all. You do hear some electric motor noise, but it's nowhere near a problem.

The upside is a single charge is good for a fair bit of back/forth travel around an anchorage. Recharges overnight via AC. Keeps a charge for months.

The downside is power. If you're talking about flat seas or light waves it's great. If you're talking trying to get back to the boat when a storm's approaching it'll be a wetter ride than you'd get hammering a 9hp gas outboard at wide open throttle. But then you're not making an even comparison. Do the same thing with a Honda 3hp and you'd have about the same problem.

Several big upsides. It always starts. It holds a charge forever. It's light. It can be stowed anywhere, in any orientation, and nothing will leak from it. It doesn't smell, likewise great for storage if you want to put it in an enclosed space below.

We didn't use it at all last year as the new-to-us boat came with a RIB and and outboard and I didn't feel like muscling the 15hp Yamaha off it to test using the Torqeedo instead. I may try it this season.
 
wkearney99 said:
What are you people on about regarding noise from a Torqeedo?

I've got one that I've used on our 9' inflatable dinghy and it's considerably quieter than any gas engine I've ever used. It doesn't whine at all. You do hear some electric motor noise, but it's nowhere near a problem.

The upside is a single charge is good for a fair bit of back/forth travel around an anchorage. Recharges overnight via AC. Keeps a charge for months.

The downside is power. If you're talking about flat seas or light waves it's great. If you're talking trying to get back to the boat when a storm's approaching it'll be a wetter ride than you'd get hammering a 9hp gas outboard at wide open throttle. But then you're not making an even comparison. Do the same thing with a Honda 3hp and you'd have about the same problem.

Several big upsides. It always starts. It holds a charge forever. It's light. It can be stowed anywhere, in any orientation, and nothing will leak from it. It doesn't smell, likewise great for storage if you want to put it in an enclosed space below.

We didn't use it at all last year as the new-to-us boat came with a RIB and and outboard and I didn't feel like muscling the 15hp Yamaha off it to test using the Torqeedo instead. I may try it this season.
Click to expand...

Noise? What noise? ... G
 
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