Torqeedo announces new electric outboard motor
The electric boat drive specialist Torqeedo has expanded its range to include a lighter and more cost-effective electric outboard motor called Travel 603. The drive is said to be suitable, among other things, as an auxiliary drive for smaller sailboats or fishing boats.
The direct-drive 2-hp-equivalent short shaft motor is the lightest in its power class and weighs just 15.5 kg, including the 500 Wh capacity battery, Torqeedo said. With its instant torque, the Travel 603 is said to offer good responsiveness and be very quiet – two general advantages of electric drives. The drive is “perfect” for small racing sailboats, dinghies, light freshwater fishing boats and canoes weighing up to one ton, it said.
The unique feature of the new outboard and its larger Travel 1103 sister model is the integrated but replaceable battery. At “low speeds,” up to five and a half hours of travel are to be possible. If the battery is nevertheless empty, it should be able to be exchanged quickly for a charged replacement battery, according to Torqeedo. Should a battery accidentally fall into the water in the process, the component is buoyant and will not sink.
The batteries can be charged either by plug or directly from the boat’s 12- or 24-volt mains, Torqeedo writes. A solar charge controller is also integrated into the battery to allow charging with solar energy, it says.
The outboard also features an on-board computer and GPS. Through the “TorqTrac” app, users can view real-time data such as range at current RPM, battery charge level and other safety information.
“Our goal in introducing the Travel 603 is to make it easier for boaters to discover the unique benefits of clean, green electric propulsion for smaller craft,” said Torqeedo CEO Ralf Plieniger. “There’s nothing quite like the experience of gliding silently through the water with no odours or exhaust fumes.”
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