Torqeedo unveils new Travel XP electric outboard, modular lineup
After more than 100,000 Torqeedo Travel electric boat motors sold since 2005, the company is revamping and refreshing the line with the new 1.6 kiloWatt Travel XP and four modular motor and battery packages to choose from: Adventure Package, Essential Package, Range Package and Power Package.
Fabian Bez, CEO of Torqeedo GmbH, said “The new Travel family marks the opening of a new chapter of Torqeedo products. The original Travel was Torqeedo’s first product, an icon that disrupted an industry. The new lineup serves an even broader range of boating applications, adds many user-centric features, and allows boaters to fully customize their Travel experience to meet their individual needs.”
New 1.6kW Travel XP part of Power Package
The latest motor in the line is the 1600 watt (1.6 kw) Travel XP at the core of the Power package. It is nominated for a DAME Design Award at the METSTRADE show in Amsterdam where the four packages are being revealed to demonstrate the modular approach:
Adventure Package
The Adventure Package pairs an 1,100 W Travel and a 1,080 Wh battery with an innovative mounting and steering system that gets kayak anglers quickly and stealthily to their secret spots.
Essential Package
The Essential Package is the original Travel, redefined. It pairs an ultra-efficient 1,100 W outboard motor with a 1,080 Wh battery.
Range Package
The Range Package substitutes a higher-capacity battery (1,425 Wh) for when you want to spend all day on the water, taking boaters even further.
Power Package
The Power Package easily propels bigger boats, boats on coastal waters, or that routinely experience windy, wavy conditions with its heavy-duty 1,600 W direct-drive motor and 1,425 Wh battery.
In each case, once the package is selected, there are various charging, propeller, and accessory options that allow boaters to build their own customized Travel setup.
“These innovative outboards are designed to be ultra-easy to use, transport, and stow, and the click-and-play battery means no more cables to connect.” said Thomas Wiedemann, Senior Vice President Global Program Management. “Once the battery is removed with a click and the tiller is folded, the compact, lightweight motor is easy to hand up and down to a dinghy and stores easily on a mother boat.”
The company says the included 180 W charger cuts charge times in half. The designers have also taken a fresh look at the user interface and given it a vibrant, easy to read full-colour display of real-time GPS-calculated range and runtime.
Bluetooth, WiFi, new TorqView smartphone app
Bluetooth and WiFi are built in, along with Torqeedo’s TorqLink communications protocol, so owners can connect with the company’s new smartphone app, TorqView. TorqView enables a host of new features, including maps, trip logs, and over-the-air updates that can be performed anywhere there’s an internet connection.
Torqeedo owners can also opt-in to allow Torqeedo and its authorized service centers to collect system information to facilitate their ability to provide the fastest and most efficient service and maintenance.
The new-and-improved tiller on the Travel motors has infinitely variable speed and steering controls. For boats with a rudder or steering wheel, the Power Package’s Travel XP can be ordered as a remote model with everything needed to connect to standard Teleflex steering. An optional remote kit is also available to convert a tiller-steered Travel.
The new, 90-degree tilt-equipped transom mount design lets the user raise the motor completely out of the water, and a new 3-stage rotation control lever lets them quickly choose between fixed steering, +/- 60-degree steering, and 360-degree, fully rotatable steering.
“The entire user experience, down to the new connected features and the smartphone app, leverages Torqeedo’s 18 years of experience in building the world’s best electric drive systems and brings it to a new generation of boaters who demand greener, cleaner, and more thoughtfully designed products,” said Sven Mostögl, Senior Vice President Branded Retail. “This launch is the start of a new chapter for Torqeedo. Not only are we significantly reshaping and sharpening the product portfolio and brand appearance, but we have also made the next decisive step in building the future of electric boating.”
The new Travel XP and Travel family of motors, batteries and accessories will be available in early 2024.
