Logbook: Power Play

Testing Evoy’s prototype 300-hp electric outboard hints at how fun an electrified future might be.

I’ve caught some flack over the years for our coverage of alternate fuel sources like electric, propane, Liquefied Natural Gas, hydrogen, etc. I received scathing emails from readers saying that Torqeedo outboards would only be used by free-spirit sailors. I feel vindicated when I see a fleet of electric outboards at the dinghy dock today.

I was told by other skeptics in the industry that companies like X Shore or Pure Watercraft could only produce “concept boats” or “prototypes.” I, again, felt vindicated when General Motors purchased a 25-percent share in Pure Watercraft and when X Shore secured $50 million in funding for serial production.

Adding to the fray, Mercury’s announcement of their first Avator electric-powered outboards and a 180-hp “E-Motion” electric outboard from Vision Marine that came onto the market.

Another product that captured my attention last year was a prototype 300-hp outboard that was converted from a Mercury 300 to full-electric by a company we’ve previously reported on out of Sweden called Evoy (the final product will be built completely by Evoy). What I like best about this company is their inherent Scandinavian humbleness. When we first discussed testing their electric-powered inboards, I wasn’t bombarded with overly glossy press releases or an ambiguous sizzle reel, but instead was offered an open invitation to put their products through the ringer any time that was convenient for us. You can find that in-depth reporting here.

At the Cannes show in September I had my chance to meet Evoy Founder and CEO Leif Stavøstrand who held one of the most low-key press conferences I’ve attended. He invited a small handful of journalists aboard his boats to chat about electrification in the industry. It was a quiet affair, dwarfed by the enormous display of diesel-powered motoryachts around us. Stavøstrand, at this point, told me that the company had big news to divulge: They were working on the most powerful electric outboard to date. News like this usually comes with the qualifier: “It will be ready for the 2035 show season and will change boating … trust us.”

Instead, Stavøstrand causally mentioned the outboard was already incorporated into an Axopar 25—a major strategic partnership for the fledgling builder. “Are you free to go for a test today?” Stavøstrand asked.

He needn’t have twisted my arm too hard. It felt like fate that Scandinavian power players Axopar and Evoy would team up and launch their partnership at the Cannes show—the ethos their company founders share is uncanny. Five years earlier, I met Axopar founder Jan-Erik Viitala at a small press conference where he pitched a new, adventure-focused brand with a plumb bow and peculiar lines. I would have chalked them up to little more than another up-and-comer if not for Viitala’s offer: Want to take one for a spin today? Somehow—magically—a spot opened up in my calendar and I had the ride of my life.

Silently gliding out of our tight slip at the Cannes show and through a minefield of yacht traffic in an Evoy-powered Axopar 25, I was able to take in the mountainous coast of Southern France in total quiet. As I savored the silence and took a moment to decompress from the madness of the show, I thought about how unique it was to have Viitala and Stavøstrand, two of the boldest innovators in boating both aboard. In years past, Axopar has leaned into strategic partnerships with brands like Jobe and Brabus with great success; the Axopar stamp of approval will undoubtedly buoy Evoy’s reputation.

Once in open water, I was able to put the Axopar and the outboard to the test. Because of the silent propulsion, I carried on a conversation with Viitala as if we were sitting together in an office. And that took a little while to get used to. The driving experience was, shall I say, electric. The Axopar handled like an F1 car of the sea. The grippy hull, a 50-knot top end, 30 knot cruise, an immediately intuitive user interface, which clearly shows how much range (about 26 miles at 25 knots thanks to twin 63-kwh batteries) you have left-—and did I mention the silence?

Electric skeptics will undoubtedly scoff at the range and it’s true that she’s no passagemaker, but at 25-feet that’s not the mission of that boat anyway. If you’re looking to enjoy a speedy sunset cruise, an in or nearshore fishing jaunt or a dock and dine in style, this is a setup you’ll want to consider.

This past year on the boat show circuit, boatbuilders have thrown around the word “sustainability” like a frisbee in the park. Time will tell how serious such claims actually are but with players like Axopar, Evoy, Brunswick and GM investing in this tech, I think it’s safe to say that electric propulsion is going to play a bigger and bigger role in the future of our sport.

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This article originally appeared in the March 2023 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.

Source: https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/column/testing-evoys-prototype-300-hp-electric-outboard