Torqeedo unveils new electric outboard
Torqeedo has announced it has added a lighter and more affordable electric outboard to its product line.
The new Travel 603 is the latest addition to Torqeedo’s line-up of clean, quiet portable electric outboards (video). The two-horsepower-equivalent, direct-drive, short shaft motor is the lightest in its power class, weighing just 15.5 kg (34 lbs.) complete, including battery.
Like the Travel 1103, the Travel 603 is ethically manufactured in Germany. It features a built-in high-performance lithium-ion battery rated at 500 Wh, which boasts individually welded steel safety cells with Torqeedo’s proprietary 5-stage safety system. At slow speeds, you can cruise for more than 5.5 hours on a single battery charge, and the battery can be quickly and easily swapped out with a fully charged spare to extend operating range. The battery even floats on the water in the event it’s accidentally dropped overboard.
An onboard computer with GPS is built into the Travel motor, provides instant readouts of operating range at current RPMs, battery charge status and other critical safety information. With Torqeedo’s TorqTrac mobile app, you can view all vital information on your Apple or Android smartphone or tablet.
The Travel 603 ships with a plug-in charger or you can charge directly from your boat’s 12- or 24-volt supply. Solar charging is easy – an integrated solar charge controller is built into every Travel battery. Torqeedo also offers a wide variety of Travel accessories, including a weedless propeller and a remote throttle option that lets you operate the motor from the helm station instead of the outboard arm.
“Our goal in introducing the Travel 603 is to make it easier for boaters to discover the unique benefits of clean, green electric propulsion for smaller craft. There’s nothing quite like the experience of gliding silently through the water with no odours or exhaust fumes,” said Dr Ralf Plieninger, Torqeedo’s managing director.
