Now offered with a second battery option and solar charging, this motor has off-grid potential.
The ThrustMe Kicker takes the concept of lightweight portable power to the limit. This electric outboard from this innovative Norwegian company weighs in at just 4.7kg with its inbuilt battery. Designed for small tenders, and with a focus on keeping things trim, the battery is actually mounted in the top section of the shaft. However, a 259Wh battery has its limitations, so ThrustMe have now developed an external ‘click-on battery’ doubling the motor’s range. At low power, up to five hours’ running is claimed, though the reality is that you can keep the second battery as a reserve.
It is an electric outboard engine that you can easily remove from your tender while bobbing about on the outside of your boat. It caters for all shaft lengths, as the shaft itself can be easily adjusted by loosening a screw clamp on the transom bracket. You then slide the engine up or down to the required length, and then loosen and retighten the height ring at the required setting. All of this is easily done by the end user and is not a job for a technician. The ThrustMe Kicker electric motor sits within the propeller, enabling it to cool externally from the water, and the prop itself is fully enclosed – which, it is claimed, improves its performance. Steering friction can be adjusted, and the motor can be locked to a central set position if needed. There is a safety strap for securing the engine to the tender, and it has an extendable tiller. The throttle is a pocket-sized remote, which can either be carried by a person or secured in a neoprene pouch on the tiller. It is wirelessly charged by sitting in a proximity slot on the engine, as and when needed.
The LCD panel on the top of the electric outboard engine lets you know how much power you are using, and the remaining capacity. There is a ThrustMe app, so you can monitor battery life remotely, which will tell you when it’s time to recharge. The second of the new products is the Solar Panel Charger, which works with the Kicker kayak Cruiser engine and the external battery. The panel opens from its carry case design into four panels, providing 60W of power for a more sustainable way to charge your ThrustMe items. The panel also has USB-A and USB-C ports, so you can charge your mobile devices on the go.
Of course, the big question is: how long in real terms? Well, the motor has a 1kW output, and the 18V 14Ah battery has a 259Wh capacity, so running at full power it will not last long. It has six power settings, and being an electric motor it will have plenty of torque at low RPM, so there is no need to crank up the power. It is ideal for light tenders, where it will happily motor along at 3 knots for quite a bit of time. You could use it to push a 3m to 3.5m inflatable with four on board, but you would likely want the reassurance of a second battery, especially in strong tidal conditions. It comes with a 240V charger and a full-size padded case for on-board storage.
The ThrustMe Kicker is available to purchase with the external battery as a bundle offer at £1,299.99, and an extra battery will cost you £450. The warranty is two years.
Contact UK: www.thrustme.uk Norway: www.thrustme.no
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