Electric boat motors and test winners

"What e-drives are available for my boat?" - you can easily find the right type of motor and model for your boat in the categories. Here you will find almost all manufacturers and models available on the market for maritime applications.

You are not sure which electric boat engine is best suited? Give us a call! We have a selection of over 500 different electric drives from over 20 manufacturers.

Which type of engine you need depends strongly on your boat. Motorboats usually have an outboard or inboard engine installed. Sailing boats can be operated with various types of motors. Also with outboard- or inboard, but also with (turnable) pod motors or sail drives.

Smaller inflatable boats or rowing boats are often powered by a sterndrive engine or, for more power, by an e-outboard. For anglers, in addition to stern motors, bow motors, which often have an autopilot and separate remote control, are also suitable. For each type of boat, you will find something in the following categories!

E-Boat engines are available in all power ranges. You will find all variants from 0.2 kW up to 144 kW (200 HP) power in our shop. Depending on your requirements, you will need about 1-2 kW power per tonne in displacement mode and exponentially more in gliding mode. The control of your E-propulsion is, on the one hand, possible via the tiller at Outboardn directly at the motor. On the other hand, the remaining motor types can be controlled remotely with the throttle and steering wheel or with a special remote control. The throttle and display are installed in the steering position of your boat.

The selection criteria vary depending on the boat and application. One of the most important criteria for us is the volume. There are e-drives with gears that generate a high-frequency whirring sound. These are significantly quieter than combustion engines, but still relatively loud.

And there are loud electro outboard where absolutely nothing can be heard. We find quietness on your boat should not be disturbed by anything. We therefore clearly recommend a silent model without a gearbox. You can also find the information with the individual products or you can filter by them.

There are differences between leisure and commercial use. For recreational use, the models from Torqeedo, ePropulsion and Aquamot have the best prerequisites with an unbeatable price-performance ratio.

If you use your boat as a hirer or in the industry for commercial purposes or if the demands on travel time per year are very high, we recommend specially designed engines from the premium segment. Ideally suited for this are the motors from edyn, Kräutler, E-Tech, or the Professional Line from Aquamot.

Most boat owners are familiar with Torqeedo with the bright orange logo. Torqeedo comes from Starnberger See in Germany. Torqeedo is the market leader in the field of electric boat drives and has already delivered more than 100,000 electric motors all over the world.

The absolute hit in the field of sterndrive engines for anglers and smaller motorboats is Minn Kota from the USA. The engines are in the lower power range and are even cheaper in this range compared to the combustion engines and have replaced the internal combustion engine for a long time.

ePropulsion is an emerging manufacturer of electric boat engines and has in the past surprised with a very strong price-performance ratio. Also, the latest batteries for eProp's engine systems caused a positive surprise in the maritime industry.

Also, there are still very well-known manufacturers such as the companies Kräutler, Aquamot, E-Tech, or RiPower. These manufacturers are known for their high quality and have been producing e-drives for boats and ships for a small eternity. Especially for larger boats, we recommend these manufacturers.

On the one hand, electric boat engines have the conventional advantages of an electric motor. The same should be noted when comparing the combustion engine and the electric car. The electric motors are quiet, clean, and very efficient. Besides, the engines have much better handling, maneuverability, and more thrust in the lower speed range. E-boat engines are also cheaper to maintain, safer than combustion engines and also environmentally friendly.

There are some prejudices about electric drives. One topic is the range and capacity of batteries. Most of the time the range is even greater and not an issue. In 95% a combustion engine can easily be replaced by an electric drive. The only exception are gliding boats, where you have to take a closer look if an e-motor is already realistic.

The acquisition costs of the e-boat motors are usually more expensive. That is true. On the other hand, there are no maintenance costs and operation is much cheaper thanks to the cheap electricity. Normally, a complete propulsion system pays for itself after 3 years of operation. Also, the batteries are said to have a bad environmental balance. Depending on their size, batteries are often no worse for the environment than jeans or a kilogram of beef and are hardly an issue in terms of the environmental balance.

Another point is the charging time and weight of the batteries on board. The charging time is usually between 6 and 10 hours, which is the usual time for boats to be moored in the harbor or marina. The maximum weight also plays a role in sliding boats. The batteries replace the tank and thus take up hardly any more space, weighing at most a few kilograms more.

Boat engines up to 15 kW power are mainly used for smaller boats and inflatable boats, as well as for sport or houseboats. With outboard engines, the components electric motor, driveshaft and, if necessary, gearbox are installed in one housing.

The installation of an outboard or stern engine is uncomplicated on the engine transom, which is located at the stern of the boat. It is attached using clamping screws or bolts. Depending on the weight of the engine, this is especially easy for engines under 11kW (15HP) and can usually be done by a layman. The same applies to bow engines

The other engine types: Inboard, (rotatable) pod motor, sail drive, or hybrid motor should be installed by a specialist, similar to larger combustion engines. The only complex thing is the perfect adaptation of the engine to the boat. The connection of electric motor, battery, and charger is quite simple. Above 48 V, however, the installation must be carried out by an electrician.

Please contact us for individual consultation - we look forward to hearing from you!