Punchy yet lightweight, these high-tech electric engines take the backache out of tender engines.
Torqeedo’s new Travel range is a perfect example of staying at the forefront of the industry. These new modular motors offer impressive performance and high levels of power density from their latest generation of lithium batteries.
The family comprises four packages. The Adventure Package pairs a 1100W motor with a 1080Wh battery. This mounts via an innovative mounting and steering system, primarily aimed at kayak anglers who need to stretch their canoeing horizons. The Essential Package is the original Travel engine but redefined, combining a 1100W motor with a 1080Wh battery. The Range Package takes the Travel concept further by substituting the 1080Wh battery with a higher-capacity 1425Wh battery. The top-of-the-range Power Package, with its heavy-duty 1600W direct-drive motor and 1425Wh battery, is for bigger boats on coastal waters.
The Power Package set for remotes.
A multitude of charging, propeller and accessory options allow boaters to specify their motor as they feel fit. Designed to be ultra-easy to use, transport and stow, this range benefits greatly from its click-and-play battery, effectively meaning there are no cables to connect. With the battery removed with just a click of a catch, and with the tiller folded, it is easy to hand to or from a tender. The included 180W charger cuts charge times in half, and a backlit colour display makes keeping tabs on power reserves easy. Torqeedo’s intuitive user interface, fitted with a GPS receiver, calculates real-time range, making it easy to appreciate your runtime underway. There is also the facility to recharge the battery via solar panels, so you could have a tender with unlimited free fuel.
The Travel Power Package in long-shaft form is a small boat engine in its own right.
TorqLink is Torqeedo’s advanced communications protocol, and with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi built in, you can link to Torqeedo’s new app, TorqView. This provides a host of features, including maps, trip logs and over-the-air updates. With TorqView, motor updates can be performed anywhere providing there’s an Internet connection. With variable speed and steering controls, the new improved tiller is ultra-precise, foldable and has a customisable facility. You can change the direction of forward and reverse, increase or decrease friction and even use it while standing. For boats with a rudder or steering wheel, the Power Package’s Travel XP version can be ordered as a remote model with everything you need to connect to standard Teleflex steering, and an optional remote kit is also available to convert a tiller-steered engine. A new 90-degree tilt-equipped transom mount design lets you raise the motor completely out of the water, and a new three-stage rotation control lever allows you to choose between fixed steering, +/- 60-degree steering and 360-degree fully rotatable steering.
Note the QD battery and the GPS-enabled engine display.
The flagship 1600W Power Package is claimed to produce the same thrust as a 5hp petrol outboard, and it costs around £3,300 with battery. It comes in short (15in) and long (20in) shaft versions and weighs in at 12.6kg, while its 1425Wh battery weighs 9.6kg. You can buy an extra battery for around £1,400 should you need to increase range, and with its plug-and-play facility, charging is easy. The cost is quite a bit more than the £1,300 price tag of a new 5hp Yamaha, which weighs 27kg in short-shaft form. However, the price difference of £2,000 buys a lot of petrol. On the flip side, however, it is hard to put a price on an engine that can be thrown onto your shoulder and does not require an annual service.
Related Posts
