Torqueedo is not convincing
First of all, the delivery etc. from SVB was, as always, quick and problem-free.
The electric motor (at least the one we got) doesn't come anywhere near the power stated by the manufacturer. Since there is a display that shows how much power is currently being used, it was nice and easy to test. At half power, 80% of the battery was used up after 2.4 nautical miles (dinghy 2.2 m, 110 kg payload, flat water, no wind), at full load it stopped after 1.3 nautical miles.
Manufacturer's specification 18 nautical miles at half load, 4.6 at full load.
I am aware that manufacturer's specifications on performance data are tested and stated under the most optimal conditions, but in this case, in my opinion, it is simply misleading and does not correspond to the statement in the product description.
It doesn't even come close to half the stated range! What about "exploring the world from the water", the immediate surroundings, nothing else.
On the other hand, the charging time is correspondingly long, in this case 13 hours from 20% remaining charge to full. That's no fun!!
Other negative aspects
- The display is difficult to read in sunlight
- There are no covers for the plug connections of the tiller and battery, so you have to be extremely careful that no salt water gets on the plugs when assembling or disassembling the components.
- The shaft discolors in salt water, even though it was cleaned and dried immediately after use..... Doesn't affect the function, but it's not pretty.
The only positive thing I can say is that the electric outboard is quieter and lighter than our old petrol engine, but that's not really a surprise.
There's still a lot of room for improvement in development here.