New battery-integrated, hydrogenerating electric outboard delivers more power for tenders and stealth shallow water anglers.
Electric motor manufacturer ePropulsion has rolled out a new offering for their Spirit line, the Spirit 2.0. Like other Spirit models this is a portable, battery-integrated electric outboard. But it boasts more oomph than past offerings in this lineup, with 2kW of power and a 3kW “sport mode.” While electric and internal combustion outboards measure their power differently, that equates to the performance of an outboard in the 5- to 6-hp range.
Spirit 2’s 2 kW propulsion system delivers near silent fishing adventures.
On a 150-pound aluminum jon boat, this amount of electrical capacity translates into cruising for close to an hour at 10 or 11 mph, or cruising for about three times as long at around 5 mph. Range shakes out to between 7 and 11 miles.
A larger full-color digital display is double the size of previous models.
What sailors will find particularly interesting is that you can recharge the Spirit 2 simply by sailing along with the lower unit in the water, because this electric outboard is capable of hydrogeneration. At any speed between 3 and 16 knots, the spinning prop feeds juice back to the battery, and at 10 knots it produces 380 watts of power. When plugged in and charged in the more traditional manner, charge-time is eight hours with a regular charger and two hours with a fast charger. Check out this slick promotional video from ePropulsion.
The Spirit 2 also boasts several upgrades as compared to older Spirit models. Tilt angle has increased to 90 degrees, the display is color, and a detachable clamp eases installation and removal of the motor. Both tiller-steer and remote-control versions are available in extra short, short, and long shaft lengths covering transom heights from 11.8 inches to over 19.7 inches. Motor weight is about 28 pounds, and the battery weighs an additional 23 pounds. $2,868 | epropulsion.com