Ship & Boat International eNews: February 2021
Torqeedo has launched its Travel 603 electric motor (pictured), described as a more lightweight version of the direct-drive Travel 1103 – a 1kW product that is reportedly Torqeedo’s most consistent seller, and one that “sold very well in 2020 during the COVID-19 crisis”, according to Dr Ralf Plieninger, Torqeedo MD.
As reported in Ship & Boat International January/February 2021, the Travel 603 is primarily aimed at dinghies and daysailers of up to 1tonne, and comprises what Plieninger describes as an “entry-level” model for boaters. It incorporates a smaller, removable 500Wh lithium-ion battery that weighs 11kg and “simply clicks on top of the motor”, the company says.
Generating an output of 2hp (1.5kW), the battery brings the total weight of the motor to 15.5kg. The battery has also been designed to float if dropped in the water, and features an optional USB port should sailors wish to use it to charge their mobile phones or devices. Users can also integrate the Travel 603 into onboard systems to keep tabs on GPS-calculated range and runtime data.
Torqeedo also plans to launch two saildrive motors, the Deep Blue 50 SD (50kW) and Deep Blue 100 SD (100kW). These SD types, developed in partnership with ZF, can be integrated with solar panels or wind/wave power-harnessing sources. Torqeedo will also roll out its TorqLink communication protocol to its Cruise-branded electric drive systems, which span 5-20hp (3.7-15kW) in power and are aimed at craft sized 7.5-12m.
According to Plieninger: “TorqLink is an interface between components that makes it easy to set up a relatively complex system with multiple batteries with solar chargers, so we are all working on the same system bus, providing information on the same display and working seamlessly together.” The protocol will also enable integration with AC generators. The first motor to incorporate TorqLink this year will be the Cruise 10.0 R.
