There is no doubt that German brand Torqeedo has come to be regarded as the pioneer of marine electric propulsion. Incredibly, it’s almost two decades since it launched its first Travel electric outboard motor, and since then the company has sold over 100,000 of them, and a quarter of a million electric drive systems across its complete product range.
But there’s also no doubt that, with a rash of new products from a slew of fresh competitors in the electric outboard marketplace, there was a real danger of Torqeedo being left behind. Its answer is a brand new Travel range that brings significant updates but also modernises what has always been a rather functional aesthetic.
The new Travel family’s modular design starts with four packages to choose from.
The Adventure Package is designed for kayaks and very lightweight small boats. It pairs a 1,100W (equivalent to about 3hp) Travel motor with a 1,080 Wh lithium battery. The motor itself weighs just 9.8kg including the mounting system, cables and remote throttle, and the battery adds a further 8.6kg and is positioned separately for even weight distribution.
The Essential Package is a usefully updated version of the original Travel. Aimed at tenders, dinghies and daysailers up to 1.5 tonnes, it comprises an electric outboard motor with a clip on battery.
Weighing 11.6kg without the battery and available in two shaft lengths, it now has a backlit full colour display on the tiller, rather than the basic monochrome LED of the previous model. This uses a built-in GPS sensor to show real-time range and run time as well as charge status, speed and consumption. It can be linked directly to the TorqLink app on your phone, giving more information as well as over the air firmware updates.
Other improvements include a much quicker ‘click and play’ battery that connects automatically with the motor once installed rather than needing separate cables to be plugged in and secured each time, and a tiller that folds and adjusts rather than removes.
The standard 240V 180W charger halves charging times, or you can charge directly from the mother ship via a 12V/24V cable or even via optional solar panels. A Remote Kit allows it to be used with a steering wheel or rudder.
Beyond that, the Range package swaps the standard 1,080Wh battery for a more substantial 1,425Wh unit. At half throttle, Torqeedo claims a run time of close to 10 hours with this bigger battery.
Finally, the Power Package, designed for larger boats, has a 1,600W motor, equivalent to a 5hp engine.
Contact: www.torqeedo.com
Price: from £2,438
