Electric outboards have moved from novelty to a real product category. Mercury's Avator range, Torqeedo and ePropulsion now offer credible alternatives to small petrol motors, and we get asked about them weekly.
The honest summary: electric is excellent where range is short and charging is easy — tenders, small fishing boats, lakes with combustion-engine restrictions, and hire fleets. The motors are nearly silent, need almost no maintenance, and start instantly.
Where petrol still wins
Battery energy density is the limiting factor. A day of planing speeds on a 20-foot boat needs far more energy than current batteries carry at a sensible weight and price. For anything beyond short hops — offshore fishing, long passages, water sports — a petrol outboard in the 40 HP to 300 HP range remains the only practical choice, and that is where our stock is concentrated.
Resale is worth considering too. Petrol outboards from the big brands hold their value well and can be serviced almost anywhere in the world. Electric models are newer, so long-term parts and battery replacement costs are still being established.
Our position
We watch the electric market closely and will stock electric models when the value case is proven for our customers. In the meantime, the most efficient modern four-strokes — like the Yamaha F25, Mercury 60 EFI and Suzuki DF series — deliver remarkably low fuel consumption for buyers who want economy without range anxiety.