Propel close to production on S1 electric outboard

Propel, the marine propulsion division of Saietta Group, says it is close to completing the testing and development of its S1 electric outboard motor. Currently at METSTRADE (Stand 121 in Hall 1), Propel is showing its D1 inboard electric motor that has been on sale since the summer of 2022, as well as its new B1 modular ‘suitcase’ battery solution.

Propel will begin series production of the S1 in early 2023 at a new assembly line at Saietta Group’s facility in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.

A team in Amsterdam has worked ‘hand-in-glove’ with engineers at Saietta Group’s LDE (Light Duty eDrive) unit at Silverstone Technical Centre in the UK, and with colleagues setting up the production line in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.

Between them, a bespoke version of the group’s proprietary AFT140i electric motor has been developed specifically for leisure marine. This axial flux eDrive solution with integrated controller – the result of five years extensive R&D in the UK – has been designed and developed for exceptional reliability and high torque density, and is enjoying success in automotive applications in Europe, North America and Asia.

Propel says tests have taken place in a special purpose-built rig for outboard motor endurance and load testing at Silverstone as well as benchmark tests against a range of currently available marine outboard eMotors using a dedicated fleet on Amsterdam’s waterways.

Propel’s aiming to make the most of the European market for leisure marine outboard motors which it says sees 200,000 sales per year and is worth US$900m. The rate of transition to electric motors is set to accelerate significantly in the next few years as major cities plan to introduce new inland marine emissions legislation. For example, Amsterdam has decreed all vessels must be electric by 2025. It is forecast that 74 per cent of outboard motor sales in Europe will be electric by 2030.

“Leisure boat owners and operators will soon have no option but to switch to electric motors as cities implement new rules to clean up their waterways,” says Sander van Dijk, Propel’s MD.

“Adding the S1 outboard electric motor to our D1 inboard solution means we are in a prime position to offer customers robust and efficient zero emissions propulsion for a broad range of leisure craft. As such, we are accelerating our manufacturing and sales strategies so we are ready to lead the transition to electrified marine propulsion.”

Propel is already talking about expanding its S1 outboard range over the next 12 months. Joining the 10kW (equivalent of 20 hp) version will be an entry-level 7 kW and higher-power 13 kW variants. And, by the end of 2023, in addition to the ‘standard’ propeller – which is fully optimised for the torque of the AFT140i motor – Propel plans to introduce versions specifically optimised for working vessels and RIBs.

Both the D1 and S1 can also be seen at the METS E-nnovationLab, an initiative showcasing sustainable marine propulsion technologies.