Electric outboard motors are getting a lot of attention these days because it is quiet, clean, light weighted, and easy to operate compared with the gas counterparts.
Thinking of getting a reliable electric outboard boat motor for kayak, sailboat, canoe or dinghy?
Read the following to learn everything you need to know about electric outboard motor for boat and find the one that suits you best.
Content:
- What’s an Electric Outboard Motor (It’s NOT a Trolling Motor!)
- How Do Electric Outboard Motors Work
- Popular Q&As for Electric Outboard Motors
- Best Electric Outboard Motors in 2020
What’s an Electric Outboard Motor (It’s NOT a Trolling Motor!)
As the name suggests, electric outboard motor is a battery-powered propulsion system, usually used as the primary power for boats.
And it’s not a trolling motor!
Although with similar looks, the trolling motor can not replace a real electric outboard motor and is designed for low speed trolling (with 2 hp max according to our calculation).
The electric outboard trolling motors are not suitable to propel a dinghy at any real speed.
I’ve seen a lot of people asking if the Minn Kota electric outboard motor will suit their boat and would like to replace the gas motor with the trolling motors.
While a few people manage with a cheaper trolling motor they have their limitations, mainly the lack of power (so won’t deal with high winds), high on power consumption, limited range and need to carry a heavy battery that needs regular charging.
Further Reading: Electric Motor vs Outboard
How Do Electric Outboard Motors Work
The basic idea behind an electric outboard motor is really simple:
When you put electricity into the electric outboard motor at one end and an axle (metal rod) rotates at the other end giving you the power (in form of torque) to drive a boat.
It converts electricity to movement through the interaction between the motor’s magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding.
Note that the electric outboard motors can be brushed (right one in the picture) or brushless (left one):
The brushless motor is more power efficient and durable, without the brush to replace every 1000 or 2000 hours, making it truly maintenance free for a lifetime.
So be sure to purchase the outboard that comes with the brushless outboard motor to save your time and money for the motor maintenance.
Popular Q&As About Electric Outboard Motors
Now more and more boaters get interested in electric outboard motors but has a lot of worries at the same time including the battery life, range, charging time, etc.
In fact, the true electric outboards (instead of trolling motors) can be a perfect substitute to the gas outboards and performs well in all rounds if you get it right.
Here I’ve gathered some popular questions about electric outboard boat motors and tried to offer an answer to each.
Read these will help you decide whether the electric outboard motor suits your needs.
#1. How Long Does Electric Outboard Last
Or put it another way, how far can it travel with one battery charge?
It depends on various factors, such as the battery ampere hour (Ah), amp load, the desired speed, and boat type.
Take Spirit 1.0 Plus, the 3 hp electric outboard motor from eProplusion, as an example:
| Power (W) | Speed (knots) | Runtime (hh:mm) | Range (mile) |
| 125 | 3 | 10:00 | 35 |
| 250 | 3.8 | 5:00 | 22 |
| 500 | 4.6 | 2:30 | 13.3 |
| 750 | 5 | 1:40 | 9.5 |
| 1000 | 5.4 | 1.15 | 7.8 |
The electric outboard motor performance data is collected from a 12-foot aluminum boat.
You may have noticed that if you cruise at half throttle, you can go more than twice as long. If you cruise at 1/4 throttle, you can go about 3 times as far as at full throttle.
How about the electric outboard motor performs on different boats?
Still we take Spirit 1.0 as an example (running at full throttle):
| Boat | Dry Weight (kg) | Speed (knot) | Runtime | Range (mile) |
| RS 21 Sailboat | 650 | 4.8 | 1 | 5.5 |
| RU-250 Inflatable | 23.6 | 3.9 | 1 | 4.5 |
| Csónaképítő e.BALIN Túra | 280 | 5.4 | 1 | 6.2 |
| Liteboat LiteXP | 150 | 5.3 | 1 | 6 |
How does the high power electric outboard motor perform?
Check out the table that compares the most popular models (all data is based on ePropulsion electric outboard motors at full throttle):
| Electric Outboard Motor | Boat Type | Boat Weight (kg) | Speed (knots) | Runtime (hour) | Range |
| 3 hp Spirit 1.0 | RS 21 Sailboat | 650 | 4.8 | 1 | 5.5 |
| 6 hp Navy 3.0 | Silveryacht 525 | 400 | 5.2 | 1 | 6 |
| 9 hp Navy 6.0 | Quintrex 420 Explorer | 132 | 6.5 | 1 | 6.9 |
#2. What Size Electric Outboard Motor Do You Need
In fact, the size of electric outboard motor also depends on your boat type, the speed requirement, and its working environments (the current, wind, etc.).
But for a general reference, you can purchase the electric outboard motor with the following rules:
- For kayak or canoes, 1 hp motor should be good with light weight (about 7 kg).
- For inflatables, dinghies, tenders, and sailboats less than 1.5 tons of weight, opt for 3 hp motor.
- For inflatables, dinghies and sailboats weighing less than 3 tons, 5 hp electric outboard motor is recommended.
- For small boats weighing less than 4 tons, 8 hp electric boat outboard motor is recommended.
And you can always install multiple electric outboard motors for boats over 4 tons.
#3. What’s the Most Powerful Electric Boat Motor
The most powerful electric boat motor is 80 hp rated from Torqeedo so far.
Unlike gas outboards, the electric outboards are relatively limited on the horsepower range, mainly due to the technology limitations to make it affordable and light weighted.
Currently, the popular gas/electric outboard motor models are as follows:
| Boat Motors | Popular Horesepower Models |
| Electric outboard motors | 2/3/4 hp, 6/5 hp, 9.9 hp, 20 hp, 40 hp, 80 hp max |
| Gas Outboards | 350 hp max |
That’s to say, the electric outboard boat motor still can not compete with the gas motors in terms of the power range.
#4. Electric Outboard Motor Price: Does It Worth Your Investment
The electric outboard motor price is another big concern for many people.
We all know the initial cost is expensive, but that’s all. You will get all the benefits that couldn’t be bought from the gas outboards.
In fact, the electric outboard boat motor is cost-effective in the long run, like 5 years of normal use (100 hours usage per day).
Here is a cost comparison between the 3 hp Spirit 1.0 electric outboard and the 3.5 hp 4 stroke Mercury gas outboard:
| Spirit 1.0 | Mercury Motor |
| $ 1,999 | $1,050 |
| Spirit 1.0 | Mercury Motor |
| 12 cents/kWh * 1 Wh * 500 h = $60 | 500 h * 0.37 gallon/hour * $2.6/gallon = $481 |
| Spirit 1.0 | Mercury Motor |
| 0 | $25/year * 5 years = $125 |
Note: Spirit 1.0 is maintenance free with brushless electric outboard motor.
| Spirit 1.0 | Mercury Motor |
| $1999 + $60 = $ 2,095 | $1050 + $481 + $125 = $1,656 |
So the electric outboard motor price difference is becoming more and more insignificant, even more cost-effective as time goes by.
And you can always look for a used electric outboard motor to save money.
Note: Lead acid AGM batteries (widely used on electric trolling motors) are less expensive, but lithium batteries (used by electric outboard motors) have more than twice the useable power, much lighter, and charge at a faster rate.
How Do I Charge the Electric Outboard Motor Battery?
Normally you have 3 ways to charge the electric outboard boat motor battery:
- Standard charging
- Fast charging
- Solar charging
The electric outboard motor pack usually include the standard charger inside. The fast charger and solar charger will need a separate purchase.
The standard charger can take overnight (about 7 hours) to fully charge the electric outboard motor battery, and the fast charger takes 3 hours.
Best Electric Outboard Motor for Boat in 2020
So what’s the best electric outboard motors?
Perhaps you’ve already heard of Torqeedo, the most well known electric outboard motor manufacturer who has been producing quality motors for more than15 years.
There are also a lot newcomers, including ePropulsion and Karvin, offer a more affordable solution. And they are proved to be a reliable electric outboard motor option by users worldwide.
Here some of the best listed in different power range.
#1. Electric Boat Motor Under 5 HP: Spirit 1.0 Plus
The Spirit 1.0 Plus electric outboard motor provides 3 horsepower, sufficient for a 10 ft tender, dinghy, inflatable boat. And it can also work as an auxiliary power for a daysailer of up to 1.5 tons.
More importantly, it is an electric outboard motor with battery integrated, so you don’t need to pay extra for the battery!
- 3 hp equivalent propulsive power
- Quiet with 55 dB max noise
- Maintenance free with brushless electric outboard
- 9 km/h max speed to drive a 12 ft boat with 150kg load
- 75 min running time at full speed with one battery
- 22 miles range at economical speed with one battery
- Solar panel & 3rd party battery compatible
- Suitable for both saltwater and fresh water
#2. Electric Boat Motor Under 10 HP: Navy 6.0
The electric outboard motor provides 9.9 hp equivalent power and is ideal for pontoon boat, bass boats, RIBs and workboats up to 6 tons.
- 9.9 HP equivalent propulsive power
- 27 km/h max speed to drive a 12 ft boat with 150kg load
- 60 min running time at full speed with 2 batteries
- 40 km range at economical speed with 2 batteries
- 3042 Wh excellent battery capacity
- No fuel leak, exhaust-free, and clean
- Suitable for both saltwater and fresh water
#3. Electric Boat Motor Above 10 HP: Torqeedo Cruise 10.0T
The Torqeedo Cruise electric outboard has durable and extremely robust design. It provides 20 hp equivalent power, perfect for dinghies, sailboats, motorboats and commercial applications up to 10 tons.
- Powerful propulsion comparable to a 20 HP combustion engine
- Electric tilting device for ease of operation
- Corrosion-protected, sea water-capable
- Completely waterproof (IP67 rated)
- Built-in GPS, with on-board computer and display
- Works with third-party batteries
- Propel efficient boats up to a maximum speed of 30 km/h
- 60 min running time at full speed with 2 batteries
- 60 km range at economical speed with 2 batteries
These electric outboard motors are usually sold by their dealers and if you wang to purchase one in US, UK, Australia, NZ, Canada, or other parts of the world, visit their website and reach out to have their local dealer.