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.
A lot of people are under the impression that if you make the switch to electric, you have to give up the power of your current outboard and settle for less. Well, we are here to dispel that myth once and for all.
We offer models that are comparable to anything in the 8- to 60-horsepower range. So, if your current outboard falls within that range, we could repower it to match your current power. Your outboard would then have instant take-off, require less maintenance, and, over time, save you significant money.
Yeah, we know. Every single time we tell the internet we might be electric, but we're powerful, and we get the same response. We don't believe you.
Well, physics doesn’t lie. An ICE (internal combustion engine) doesn't get into gear until around 900-1000 rpm (revolutions per minute) and doesn’t develop its full horsepower until 5,000-6,000 rpm. That's a usable range of 4,000 rpm. However, unless you are flat out, you won’t be at 5,600 rpm. So your 40HP is acting like the power of a 20HP or 30HP most of the time. Electric marine motors have instant torque and a flat torque curve, so it doesn't matter whether you are at 2 rpm or 4,000 rpm —you have full power.
Surf Lifesaving boats save lives. That means they have to be powerful and fast and reliable in extreme conditions- or the swimmer dies. They can’t afford to make a mistake. So our EClass Electric outboard had a 2-stroke face-off to settle this question. Flying colours were the outcome of the trial and faster off the mark than the 2-stroke over 100m. If you have a race boat we can adjust up to 12000rpm - so try to beat that!
So get in contact with us.
With petrol and diesel prices continuing to rise, many boat owners are considering the switch to electric boating.
Most boat owners are not aware of how much they are really spending on fuel and maintenance - after all, you just fill up at the service station as you go or pay for a mechanical service or parts and don't realize how these costs add up.
What you may not have considered is that every hour of running in an ICE (internal combustion engine) outboard motor costs the same. Yes, every hour on the water at WOT (wide open throttle) costs the same or even more over time in petrol/oil spend. So you can see how over 10 years, the sums add up.
That's not the case in electric outboard motors.
Although there is an initial investment in batteries, Lithium batteries are expected to last up to 10 years.
An electric outboard motor or electric inboard motor battery only needs to be recharged.
An electric outboard motor's additional running costs will only be the price of electricity for recharging the batteries. If your mains or generator power comes from solar, that cost is pretty much zero. There is a lot to be said for solar boating!
Electric outboard motors also have very little maintenance - only the regular care you would take with your current outboard leg and casing. The powerhead is brushless (no touching parts) and the whole outboard only has a few moving parts. Unlike 2-stroke and more particularly 4-stroke outboards - which have very complex mechanics and electronics.
Over a ten-year period, you will save substantially. And if you use your boat more than once a week, then those savings are even greater. Great news for commercial boat owners or hire boat operators.
We have brochures with total lifecycle costs at 1-5 WOT trips per week for a wide range of outboard motors from 4kW (8hp) - to 30kW (60hp).
Contact us if you would like more information or a brochure.
Or check out our electric outboard range. All our electric outboards are made in Australia.
If you are curious about seeing an electric outboard come to the SHASA Electric Vehicle Expo next Saturday, 1st October Long Weekend.
We will be there with Australia's first electric speed boat, a selection of serious and powerful kW outboard motors, Lithium Ion batteries, and a solar charging station for solar boating.
We love talking about electric boats and retrofitting your existing outboard or inboard to electric motors. Or showing what's possible with a new electric outboard.
See the SHASA organisers website here
EClass Outboards are starting to get heaps of inquiries about retrofitting houseboats with electric outboards. It makes sense. Houseboats and pontoon boats are displacement boats - so they have less amp draw- as they are not trying to get the boat out of the displacement hole and once moving can use their own momentum. Having said that they do require a fair amount of propulsive power (torque) as they need to create that momentum. EClass Outboards can not only provide that propulsive power you need - from our 4kW HD electric outboard, equivalent to an 8hp outboard engine for smaller houseboats and pontoon boats) to our 30kW electric outboard, which will match or better a 40hp petrol outboard. E Class Outboards also have a range of propellers we can fit to our engines - to get that power vs amp draw exactly right for your boat.
Houseboats and Pontoon boats also have heaps of room onboard for Lithium-Ion batteries, and usually have a fair bit of roof real estate for solar. This is an area where petrol outboards cannot follow electric outboard motors. Solar charging of our Lithium-Ion batteries is possible with the right solar setup.
Imagine coming aboard for a weekend on your houseboat and the batteries are charged and ready to go!
As Australia's only manufacturer of electric outboard motors, we have the expertise to turn your houseboat into an electric boat. And you will reap the rewards of a quiet, low-maintenance system that does not pollute the waterways you love to be on.
See our electric outboard range
Contact us to discuss electrifying your houseboat or pontoon boat