Torqeedo launches commercial-grade cruise motor

Torqeedo has updated its electric outboards with a new design to meet the demands of commercial users. The Cruise comes in 5 hp and 8 hp equivalents and provides consumers with an electric solution for pontoon boats, sailboats, small boats, work boats, water taxis and users on lakes that limit the use of combustion motors since its introduction in 2008.

The redesigned line is built with an aluminum lower housing, with the aim to protect against impact damage and provide increased mechanical support for the propeller shaft. It also has improved shaft sealant rings and lubricant-free polymer bearings that are intended to defend against fishing line or debris.

The Cruise is designed to retain its core technology features such as GPS-based range calculation, battery status and speed calculations, and its ability to work with accessories like Torqeedo’s smartphone app, TorqTrac.

The aluminum lower housing has been in testing with commercial operations for several months and Bob Bekoff, owner of a water taxi fleet in Oklahoma City, Okla., reports the new Cruise is just as powerful and efficient as ever.

“We’ve been using Torqeedo motors on our fleet for several years now and were excited to test the improved Cruise. The water taxi business places extreme demands on the motors’ durability and the new Cruise has performed flawlessly,” said Bekoff.

“We initially focused on building a more rugged Cruise motor for commercial and rental operations,” said Steve Trkla, president and general manager of Torqeedo, Inc. “Our engineers in Germany delivered such an outstanding product that we’ve incorporated the changes across the board. The new Cruise motor is now available in North America through Torqeedo dealers and our boatbuilder partners.”

To view more of Torqeedo’s product line, visit www.torqeedo.com.