FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A Fond du Lac company is launching its first electric outboard motor.
Mercury Marine unveiled its Avator 7.5e model at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Wednesday.
According to the engine corporation, Avator is the next step forward in marine innovation.
“For these lower horsepower engines, people are looking towards electric motors, so we’re here to fill that need for the consumer,” said President Chris Drees.
Drees says the 7.5e model is the first in a series of electric outboard products to be released this year.
The portable motor produces a similar speed and acceleration as a 3.5 horsepower outboard.
“Quiet operation, ease of use, little to no maintenance at all,” said Drees. “We’re really excited to bring these to market.”
“You’ll get the outboard drive, you’ll get the battery and a standard charger, 110 watt charger,” said Andrew Przybyl, technical manager and engineer. “You just open this hood, click in the battery, hit one button and you’re ready to go.”
Przybyl tells FOX 11 the electric engine has been in development for years.
“Outboards, stern drives, the vessel programs — those are something we know how to do. This was something completely new.”
He says the idea of creating an electric outboard comes from a desire for sustainability.
“The electric outboard is adding to our portfolio. We had a whole team of people look at all of the materials and all of the parts of pieces to make sure that from birth to grave, that we can recycle this thing from top down. A lot of things are recyclable, more so than any product that we have.”
But it came with some challenges along the way.
“Choosing the right motor technology, choosing the battery size,” said Przybyl. “Efficiency is the name of the game because we know that the batteries are small and they only have so much power in them.”
Offered with tiller or remote steering, Przybyl says the 7.5e outboard is ideal for smaller watercraft.
“We’ve run them on inflatables, little kayaks, 12, 14, 16 foot aluminum fishing boats,” said Przybyl.
Mercury also plans to release its Avator 20e and 35e outboard for larger boats, which will be in market later this year.
Mercury Marine has not released a price yet but says the electric engine will cost a bit more than a traditional gasoline engine.
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