Two small electric outboards, and what they actually cost against a gas one
I'm not in the business of reviewing gear, and this site isn't going to become a buyer's guide. But two small electric outboards crossed my radar this month that are worth a straight look, because they sit right at the size where a lot of readers here actually shop: a dinghy or a tender, not a cruising boat.
| Motor | Price | Power | Weight | Runtime (full throttle) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ePropulsion eLite | $999 | 500W (1.5hp equivalent) | 14.7 lb, battery included | ~45 min on an 8ft dinghy |
| Temo 1000 | $3,499 | 1,100W (3hp equivalent) | 35 lb, swappable battery | ~1 hour, more thrust |
The eLite is the cheaper, lighter option by a wide margin, and it's built for exactly what a small dinghy needs: enough push to get you home against a light current, quiet enough that it doesn't announce itself, and light enough that one person can lift it on and off a transom without help. The Temo 1000 costs three and a half times as much, but it's genuinely more capable, more thrust, longer runtime, and a battery you can swap out rather than wait to recharge, which matters if you're using it enough that "wait for it to charge" is a real inconvenience rather than a theoretical one.
Here's the part I don't want to skip past. A decent secondhand 2-horsepower gas outboard still costs a fraction of either of these, often a few hundred dollars, and it'll do the same basic job of getting a small boat home when the wind dies. If cost is the only thing that matters to you right now, gas remains the honest, cheaper answer, full stop. What electric buys you instead is no gas to store or spill in the boat, no mixing two-stroke oil, less maintenance over a season, and a lot less noise. Whether that trade is worth the extra money is a real question, not a foregone conclusion, and it's yours to answer, not mine.
Can an electric outboard fully replace a gas one on a small sailboat?
For a dinghy or tender used for short trips near a mooring, yes, that's exactly what these motors are built for. For longer motoring, offshore use, or as a primary auxiliary on a larger cruising boat, runtime and available charging matter a lot more, and gas or a larger marine diesel is still the more common choice.
How long does an electric outboard battery last before it needs replacing?
This varies by manufacturer and use, and neither manufacturer's product page gave a specific battery-lifespan figure, so it isn't stated here as a number. Check the manufacturer's own warranty terms for the most reliable answer.
Do I need a special charger for these motors?
Both come with their own charging hardware designed for the integrated or swappable battery, not a generic charger. Check the specific product page for charging time and whether it requires shore power or a 12V source.
Sources
- ePropulsion eLite product page, epropulsion.com (price, weight, power, battery capacity)
- ePropulsion eLite Electric Outboard Motor, bluemarine.com (runtime figures on an 8ft dinghy)
- Temo 1000 Electric Outboard Motor, temofrance.com (price, weight, power, runtime)
No affiliate or sponsorship relationship with either manufacturer. Prices and specs checked directly against manufacturer product pages, current as of this edition's publication date; check current pricing before buying, as it changes.
