Why don’t people go electric?
This is a question that we, as EClass Outboards, have pondered at length. When it comes to boating, electric outboards are better than their traditional ICE counterparts in almost every way. We know that it’s a better boating experience, better for the environment, cost-effective, requires less maintenance, and is safer. So why don’t people go electric?
It is a newer technology, and some people aren’t brave enough to be pioneers. When we hear people fret about battery life, considering that all you’re doing is swapping a fuel gauge for a battery gauge, we know what’s up. People are looking for an excuse not to make the switch because what they are scared of is the change. And it’s understandable, not everyone is meant to be leading the pack.
Some people like the noise. Some people enjoy spending half the day maintaining the motor and ensuring it runs smoothly. Not us. We love the peace of being on the water, going as fast as you want with barely a sound. And we’d rather spend that maintenance time on the water. But if you’re a petrol head who wants the roar of the motor and the petrol fumes in your nose, we respect it even if we don’t feel the same.
Sadly, not everyone cares about the waters they boat on. This one was hard for us to understand. If you love boating and fishing, surely you want to keep the waters clean and minimise noise pollution? Alas, we were wrong. Some people are here for the boating, but don’t respect the water and the environment.
The short answer is yes.
The medium answer is that there’s an initial investment that pays itself off quickly.
So let’s do the long answer and explain.
When you first invest in going electric, such as one of our RePower kits, it is an investment. There are upfront costs, and a significant portion of that is the battery.
BUT…
Once you’ve made the switch to electric and invested that little bit of money, you are no longer paying for petrol. With fuel prices continuing to rise, this means your savings could be substantial. If you’re a regular boater spending hundreds of dollars on fuel and switch to recharging for a few cents or maybe a couple of dollars, you'll save money hand over fist. Even if you’re not a regular boater, you’ll still benefit over time, and since you don’t need to do maintenance to the same level, your engine is always ready to go.
So what happens if you don’t have the upfront money to invest? Great question. We have green loans available so that you can just pay off the cost of your upgraded electric outboard at the same rate you’d be paying for petrol anyway. So with very little fuss and muss, you could become an electric boater and do better by the planet, but also yourself.
If you keep using your electric outboard over time, your boating experience becomes cheaper than your coffee habit. So, consider making the switch now so that you can save long term.
Contact Us to get information specific to your needs.
One of the first questions people ask us is what horsepower does a kW engine equate to?
And often they have heard of the international hp to kW conversion formula. Which is 1kW = 1.34102209 hp
This is fine, in theory.
However, in practice, we find that calculation is not at all useful.
Why?
Because it doesn't take into account the instant torque. And the advantages of electric in the low to mid-range RPMs. The RPMs you actually need to get on the plane or get going - or dock for that matter.
So that's why we refer to propulsive power at the propeller as the important power equation. And why we comfortably say that whatever propellor the ëlectric outboard can drive, that's the hp equivalent.
So let us explain how this works.
In a combustion engine, the engine has to develop enough RPM (revs per minute) to reach idle speed. This usually occurs at around 1000 RPM, and you are in idle until that point.
Now you can get into gear and start to develop the advertised hp. But the fully advertised hp doesn't occur until the engine has reached around 5/6000 RPMs. So if you are at mid-range, you have not got all the hp of the engine available to you. An example would be a 40 hp outboard, which would only have around 25hp or less available at the low to mid-range of its RPMs.
Now electric outboards behave very differently. They have full power (instant torque) available from the first turn of the propeller. And a flat torque curve.
This power is important in planing boats, as you want to efficiently get out of the displacement hole and on the plane. Then you can reduce power (and amp draw).
In displacement boats, this instant torque gives you high torque at the low range RPMs - perfect for creating that momentum you need to get the boat traveling. The ideal for displacement boat efficiency is to use the biggest propeller you can, turning at the slowest rate.
So back to propulsive power.
When you are looking at electric outboards, we will ask you what propeller your current outboard turns (pitch and diameter). From there we can work out which is the right kW outboard for your boat. By the way all our outboards are made in Australia.
Friday December 10, 2021. 3pm to 6pm
See EClass Outboards range of powerful electric
outboards 4kW to 30+kW (8hp to 40hp)
All our electric outboard motors are developed and made in Kiama, Australia. We've taken 10 years to design electric outboards for Australian conditions and make affordable electric boats possible
Also the revolutionary EcoFlow DELTA Max portable power
stations and solar for off-grid boating, camping, and
bushfire/emergency preparedness.
Light refreshments, just drop in.
Call Lynelle 0408 360 084
For more information about our products CLICK HERE