EPROPULSION Spirit PLUS & EVO electric outboards are equivalent to 3hp petrol motors, but far more pleasant – and much easier – to use. Their massive torque and high capacity removable lithium batteries make them a great choice for boats up to about a tonne, from dinghies to dayboats.

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It would be almost impossible to buy an ePropulsion Spirit electric outboard without comparing it to the direct competitor (and arch-rival) Torqeedo Travel range. We sell both, and like both, and believe you’re likely to be pleased with whichever one you buy. Other recently-announced rivals include the REMIGO and the not-available-yet TEMO 1000, but as of June 2024 the ePropulsion Spirit series remains the sales winner… and in our opinion the best balance between price, power and battery capacity

Here are the main differences between the Torqeedo and ePropulsion:

BATTERY CAPACITY/RANGE. The ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 PLUS battery (which is same for EVO model) has 39% more capacity than the Torqeedo 903 & 1103 battery (1276Wh vs 915Wh). As there is no performance difference that we can measure, at the same speed on the same boat the Epropulsion will also take you 39% further. The new 1600W Torqeedo Travel XP has an even bigger (1425Wh) battery, and is a very nice piece of kit, but is over £1000 more.

NOISE. The Torqeedo Travel motors are all-but silent, the ePropulsion Spirit PLUS (or EVO) is very slightly noisier than that, in the air. If your boat is going through the water – which is presumably what you bought it for! – the noise of the bow wave splashing against the hull will usually drown out the motor. Both are MUCH quieter, and smoother (the lack of vibration is almost as noticeable as the lack of noise), than any petrol motor!

WEIGHT. The ePropulsion Spirit PLUS weighs 19.3kg in total, splitting down to 8.7kg for the battery and 10.6kg for the leg (motor/shaft/clamp etc). The Torqeedo 1103C is a bit lighter at 17.3kg, comprising 6kg for the battery and 11.3kg for the leg. (The ePropulsion battery is quite a bit heavier, mainly because it has more capacity, but its leg is a bit lighter.) The EVO model is fractionally heavier overall but you probably wouldn’t notice and as the tiller is removable it actually has a slightly lower minimum installation weight.

ELECTRIC OUTBOARD BATTERY CHARGING TIME. From flat, with the mains chargers supplied: the Torqeedo 903’s 915Wh battery charges in about 10 hours; and the Epropulsion Spirit’s 1276Wh in about 7 hours. The new Torqeedo Travel XP is about 8 hours. Both also have the option of using 12V DC chargers, with the ePropulsion charging rate at 12V being roughly twice as fast as the Torqeedo 903 (XP 12V charging details tbc).

ePropulsion Spirit Price Comparison. As of June 2024, the ePropulsion Spirit PLUS Price is £1875 (with free bag set from us), the ePropulsion Spirit EVO price is £2075, and we have the Torqeedo 903 at £1850. So the price difference is largely negligible, but when you take the difference in battery capacity into account, overall the ePropulsion gives you a bit more for your money. The new Torqeedo Travel XP is more powerful with more battery but also more expensive, at £2999 from us.

TILLER ATTACHMENT. The ePropulsion Spirit PLUS and Torqeedo Travel XP have folding tillers, whereas the Torqeedo 903 tiller is removable. This means there’s only one cable to connect/disconnect on the ePropulsion (two for the Torqeedo 903, none for the XP).. If a removable tiller is vital and you want an ePropulsion then you need the EVO version (which can also be used with a remote control).

TILLER INFO. All these motors have an LCD on the tiller that tells you how much battery capacity is left (the bit everyone wants to know), and how much power you’re using. The Torqeedo Travel motors also have GPS, which adds speed and range information, and the XP can Bluetooth to your phone screen to include charts etc.

REMOTE. On the ePropulsion Spirit PLUS the folding tiller is hard-wired and not removable. On the Spirit EVO you can choose a removable tiller or remote (wireless or wired as you wish) and (if you buy both) the tiller and remote are interchangeable. On the Torqeedo 903 electric outboard motor, you buy the tiller version and then add the remote control if you want one, both are wired. For the Torqeedo XP you choose tiller or remote version. Some users who want a remote control also need remote steering, in which case the ePropulsion Spirit EVO probably wins over the 903 simply because it is compatible with standard steering gear (the Torqeedo 903 isn’t but the XP remote is). On both brands, you can lock the outboard steering and use the boat’s rudder.

WARRANTY.  Both ePropulsion and Torqeedo are currently (June 2024) offering two year warranties, with ePropulsion’s warranty extendable to three years if you register online etc.

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN. Most people accept that it’s not where it’s made but how it’s made that’s more important, but the question does come up. Torqeedo is a German company and they assemble their motors in Germany. ePropulsion is Hong Kong based with manufacturing on the Chinese mainland. Both have international supply chains and even some mutual suppliers. In our experience – and we have been selling both longer than anyone else in the UK – there is no difference in reliability or quality.

REGENERATIVE CHARGING. The new Spirit EVO model can recharge its own battery if you mount it on the back of a sailing boat, from speeds of 4 knots and up (although it’s only really significant from 6 knots up). Be aware that the smaller/lighter the boat the more effect this will have on sailing speed… you can’t have something for nothing!… and of course as you slow down it makes less power. We see this mainly of use on larger boats where the motor is used to power the tender, and can then be mounted on the bigger boat – for example on the bathing platform – to generate power at sea. This is not an option with the Spirit PLUS or the Torqeedo.

EXTERNAL POWER OUTPUT. ePropulsion offer a (surprisingly expensive!) 48V output cable set for the Epropulsion batteries which, in conjunction with a DC:DC converter (not included), may be used to charge your sailing boat’s 12V batteries or run things like fishfinders and cool boxes. Torqeedo 903 batteries have a relatively low power USB output as standard, and we think there will be a 12V output option for the new XP batteries (price/spec tbc).

The differences are not obvious to see, in fact, unless you’re particularly eagle-eyed you’d say they look the same. The two models run alongside each other, they are the same dimensions, and they have the same (class-leading) 1276Wh capacity battery. However there are some important differences, the main ones being:

The Spirit EVO tiller is removable. And interchangeable with remote throttle (which can be wired or wireless). In fact, you can choose whether you want a tiller or remote version, unlike the Torqeedo where you have to buy the tiller version and add the remote. (Spirit PLUS tiller is wired in and folds down.)

The Spirit EVO adds regenerative charging. This may be completely irrelevant and meaningless to you! But, if you have a sailing yacht, and hang your EVO off the back on a suitable bracket, it means you can charge your Spirit battery whilst sailing. And if you buy the optional 48V output lead, and a DC:DC converter, you can charge up your yacht’s 12/24V system from the Spirit battery. Yes, that’s correct, your electric outboard also doubles up as a battery charging device, which makes it an absolute bargain if you were looking at buying a hydro generator – eg Duogen or Watt & Sea – as well as an electric outboard.

Please note the regen is only really effective if you can achieve 6 knots or more (it starts at 4 knots but minimally so), and it creates drag (which has more effect the lighter the boat it’s on).

As mentioned, the new Spirit EVO can be fitted to the back of your yacht (on a suitable bracket, not supplied), and used to recharge either the Spirit battery or (via optional 48V output and DC:DC converter) your yacht’s 12V battery system. It is not quite as efficient as a well-dedicated hydro generator, nor does it operate from relatively as low a speed, but one might also point out this is a ~£500 option for your electric outboard, rather than a standalone device that costs £3000 plus! The output is rated as follows:

• below 4 knots, non-operational
• 50W at 4.3 knots
• 140W at 6 knots
• 260W at 8 knots
• 360W at 10 knots, above which it cuts out

We have the ePropulsion Spirit PLUS/EVO for sale and in stock, pretty much always if we possibly can! If you contact us you will be able to speak to somebody who has actually used both ePropulsion Spirit PLUS and arch rival Torqeedo’s electric outboard motors on the water. We can give genuine, useful (realistic!) advice about battery life, range, and whether your particular boat is suited to electric drive.

As of June 2024 we are still the world’s largest retailer for ePropulsion, and very significant in Torqeedo sales too. By significant dealer we don’t mean “we list it and can get one if you really want us to”; we almost always have both Torqeedo and Epropulsion motors available to see and buy. There are many similarities between the two, but also some important differences. We have seen and tried both, quite extensively, and it’s only by stocking both we believe we can listen to what you want and recommend the one that will suit you better (rather than being a single brand dealer and forced into trying to sell you that one…).