New ePropulsion eLite?

[nestawayboats]

Is the motor a fully sealed design or is it more like the thrustme kicker (brushless outrunner which floods with water)?

eLite motor is a fully sealed design, custom designed and made by ePropulsion themselves. They are very well aware of the potential problems with outrunner motors for this application... ie likely use in salt water and customers won't rinse out every use (either because they dont read instructions or its not practical).

In that respect at least - and being able to see them next to each other (we sell both) - the eLite appears much more "robust" (and practical, you dont have to rinse after every use) than the ThrustMe.

ThrustMe is still lighter though if that's your absolute priority and the (smaller) battery capacity is sufficient.

Ian
Nestaway Boats Ltd

 

[Helidan]

eLite motor is a fully sealed design, custom designed and made by ePropulsion themselves. They are very well aware of the potential problems with outrunner motors for this application... ie likely use in salt water and customers won't rinse out every use (either because they dont read instructions or its not practical).

In that respect at least - and being able to see them next to each other (we sell both) - the eLite appears much more "robust" (and practical, you dont have to rinse after every use) than the ThrustMe.

ThrustMe is still lighter though if that's your absolute priority and the (smaller) battery capacity is sufficient.

Ian
Nestaway Boats Ltd

Thanks for the info, good to know that they used a fully sealed motor. I think that is a key consideration for these sort of outboards in order to avoid all sorts of headaches.

 

[Mark-1]

Rowing a small inflatable with 2 people in it is not easy - 2nd person has to sit on the floor in a puddle, or on a side tube which makes rowing nigh on impossible. Then add in a load of gear to make it even harder. 500Wh should be ample for a couple of miles of that.

That's certainly true but then for low usage it might be similar time to make two shuttle trips than to clamp on and manage an OB. You're just swapping an oar faff for a managing an outboard faff.

Factor in the four figure cost and it looks a bit crazy. Might as well commit to oars or a more versatile outboard.

I'm sure it will work for some people but feels quite a niche market to me.

 

[Andrew_Trayfoot]

I have posted this before, but for those that have not seen it..

800w 32v

Am just in the process of upgrading the battery for 12 to 60ah

 

[mwattsb14]

I fell for the marketing when my 2hp 2 stroke died and have had an Elite for a couple of weeks now.

In summary

• It is a very well designed packege, feels quality.
• It is very portable as you would expect and has been a real game changer in tendering to and from the boat on its mooring in the Hamble
• It does what it was advertised to do but it does have its limits. I think for example on the Hamble fighting spring tide attached to 250 flat bottom tender with 2 adults it is going to struggle. We almost found the limit the other day and had to give it a couple of bursts of the 750w turbo mode to get us to make meaningful progress when we put our nose in the full tide. Add a headwind and I think there are occasions when it wont get us to the boat.
• Battery life is pretty impressive if your main use is occasional trips to the beach or tendering out to your boat.
• There are 2 design flaws (relatively minor).
  • 1) The bag doesnt fit the transom bracket, if you remove one you usually remove the other
  • 2) The pin to select the level on the transom bracket is quick release, too quick release and lost it twice already. Easily fixed with some tape but suggests it was never really tested where the bracket is taken off the boat, I suggest the norm unless you are popping to the beach like the promo videos.

Would I buy it now knowing what I know.. I think yes but I do still have a 3hp old 2hp I can use if I go away or its rough weather/super strong tides. The convenience is massive on the days it is good for... no more petrol, no more false starts, 2 secs to fit and I can carry the tender and outboard in 1 hit. I wonder if they will bring out a slightly more powerful one. It feels like a version that could maintain 750w for longer durations would be the perfect outboard.

Longevity - Will have to wait and see but as mentioned the quality out of the box feels good...

 

[arcot]

I was made aware of this new outboard not that long ago. Considering the price its main competitor would be the thrustme Kicker which isn't a bad outboard if used within its limits but does have some serious quality issues (the motor corroding mostly). There is definitely a market for lightweight and easy to use electric outboards and if the new epropulsion proves to be durable I think they may have a winner here. For most people it will have more than enough power for the trips out and back to the moorings and can be easily recharged onboard if necessary.

Newport 3hp electric is less expensive and more powerful and designed for external battery yours or theirs.

 

[nestawayboats]

Newport 3hp electric is less expensive and more powerful and designed for external battery yours or theirs.

The Newport price doesn't include a battery. With their own brand separate external battery it seems to come in about $1900USD which being USA is ex VAT... so about the same price as ePropulsion's larger Spirit PLUS (which is a 1kW motor with a 1276Wh, integrated but removable, battery).

The lightweight ~500W-ish motors mostly being discussed here have integral batteries ie price includes battery. And are much neater/more convenient/easier to handle because you don't have to fiddle about with passing a separate battery, connecting it etc.

Eggs with eggs!

 

[Plum]

Newport 3hp electric is less expensive and more powerful and designed for external battery yours or theirs.

Less expensive? More like twice the price of the ePropulsion-eLite

 

[nestawayboats]

• It does what it was advertised to do but it does have its limits. I think for example on the Hamble fighting spring tide attached to 250 flat bottom tender with 2 adults it is going to struggle. We almost found the limit the other day and had to give it a couple of bursts of the 750w turbo mode to get us to make meaningful progress when we put our nose in the full tide. Add a headwind and I think there are occasions when it wont get us to the boat.

A flat-bottomed 2.5m dinghy has a hull speed of not-quite 4 knots, based on a (probably slightly optimistic) waterline length of 8ft. A 500W motor is never going to push anything above hull speed, especially a flubber with a square bow... just about the only dinghy that would be less efficient is a 2.3m or 2.1m version.

However flubber hull shape is a different conversation and the fact remains that flat-bottomed square-bowed inflatables are what a lot of people use as yacht tenders.

So if you have that sort of dinghy and an eLite and the tide speed is 3 knots against you you'll only make slow progress. The 750W boost mode will help in the worst bits. You won't be able to make any progress at all if tide is flowing at 4 knots or more against you, but that's quite a hefty tide to set out against in a small dinghy. In those circumstances I'd probably have a coffee/beer and wait for the tide to slow down a bit, even if I had a 3.5hp petrol.

Ian, Nestaway Boats

 

[MikeBz]

I fell for the marketing when my 2hp 2 stroke died and have had an Elite for a couple of weeks now.

In summary….

Very useful, thanks Mark! I think it would suit us for getting out to the local pontoons and short trips ashore when we’re anchored. Now that we don’t have a sugar scoop transom for boarding it will be a lot easier to get on and off the dinghy safely than the 2.3 Honda oil-dripping lump.