Evoy, a Norwegian company focused on electric marine propulsion systems with a capacity of up to 800 hp, plans to launch a 150-hp outboard in the first quarter of 2021. They are collaborating with Hurtigruten and Frydenbo Marine to create and promote the battery-operated motor.
The new outboard will be completely emission-free and is designed to produce 115 hp to power the Zodiac Milpro MARK 5 inflatable, which is the industry standard for Arctic cruise explorations. Thus, the motor will comply with essential cold weather operation standards. Evoy asserts that the high-horsepower model will perform similarly to a 150-hp gasoline outboard.
Hurtigruten, which operates 15 cruise vessels in polar regions, is very supportive.
“We aim for 100 percent emissions-free operations,” stated Karin Strand, vice-president of Expeditions at Hurtigruten. “We intend to lead the way toward a more sustainable tourism industry, making the transition to electric propulsion an obvious choice, including for our smaller vessels. We are excited to start using this technology to see how it fits with our operational habits, the Arctic temperatures, and our customers’ needs.”
Frydenbo Marine is a family-owned enterprise located in Bergen, Norway, employing 550 people and distributing Evinrude, Sting, and Zodiac products through an extensive dealer network in Norway.
There are currently no details on the pricing of the outboard, the required battery system, or the expected running times for the motor, but such information should be available soon. Evoy is also developing models with 300 and 450 hp, and pre-orders are expected to be available in 2022 and 2024, respectively.