Evoy, a Norwegian firm specializing in electric marine propulsion systems up to 800 hp, is planning on introducing a 150-hp outboard in the first quarter of 2021. The firm is working with two other companies, Hurtigruten and Frydenbo Marine, to develop and market the battery-powered motor.
The new outboard will be 100 percent emission-free, and is initially designed to produce 115 hp to power Zodiac’s Milpro MARK 5 inflatable, the standard for the exploration cruise industry that works in the Arctic regions. The motor will, therefore, meet critical standards for cold weather operation. The high-horsepower model will, says Evoy, be equivalent to a 150-hp gasoline outboard.
Hurtigruten, which operates 15 cruise ships that visit the polar regions, is enthusiastic.
“Our goal is to operate 100 percent emissions-free,” said Karin Strand, vice-president of Expeditions at Hurtigruten. “We will lead the way towards a more sustainable tourist industry, and nothing will be more natural than to use electric propulsion, which will include our smaller boats. We look forward to getting started and to see how this works with our usage patterns, the arctic temperatures, and, of course, our customers.”
Frydenbo Marine is a family-owned company based in Bergen, Norway, with 550 employees that distributes Evinrude, Sting, and Zodiac products to a well-developed dealer network in Norway.
There is no word yet on how much the outboard will cost, the battery system that will be required, or the expected run times for the motor, but that information should be forthcoming. Evoy is also working on developing 300- and 450-hp models, and says that pre-orders will be available in 2022 and 2024, respectively.