Water testing reveals performance of Mercury’s first electric boat outboard motors
Mercury’s recently unveiled electric outboard motors are now on their way to customers after the company announced the beginning of shipments of the Avator 7.5e. And new performance testing shows just what boaters can expect from the motor.
The compact Avator 7.5e is the first of five upcoming electric outboards from Mercury, with the already-named Avator 20e and 35e to be unveiled later this year as higher-power models.
They’re designed to make it easy to electrify small vessels and provide an effective alternative to combustion-engine outboard motors.
Small electric boats offer numerous benefits, making them an attractive choice for boaters. These vessels produce zero emissions, helping to preserve aquatic ecosystems and improve air quality. They also operate quietly, reducing noise pollution and ensuring a peaceful experience for both passengers and surrounding wildlife.
For anglers, the lack of noise and water pollution is even more important before dropping a line in the water.
Additionally, electric boats have low operating costs and require minimal maintenance compared to their gas-powered counterparts, making them an economical and environmentally friendly option for leisurely outings on the water.
Now with the advent of convenient electric outboard motors, small electric watercraft are becoming increasingly accessible.
The Avator 7.5e electric outboard was unveiled in January of this year alongside a new electric boat model from Mercury’s sister company.
That boat, the Veer X13, was used for initial performance testing of the Avator 7.5e outboard.
The Avator 7.5e is a small-format outboard designed for light watercraft. It is rather low power at just 750 watts, which equates to a single horsepower. But electric outboards are known to provide performance that is in line with combustion engine outboards with several times higher power.
Mercury’s own testing on the Veer X13 showed that the 7.5e was capable of speed and acceleration similar to that of a Mercury 3.5 hp FourStroke outboard, putting the electric outboard’s equivalent performance at around 3.5x higher than its nominal power rating.
The upcoming Avator 20e and 35e, if similarly scaled, could thus theoretically match up against combustion engine outboards in the 10 and 15 hp range. But until we see those motors in the water, we’ll have to wait and see.
The Avator line uses 1 kWh swappable batteries that slide into the unit’s case, not unlike a large power drill battery. Run time tests demonstrate the massive difference in efficiency of boats based on speed.
When tested on a Veer X13 boat, a single battery lasted for 60 minutes of operation and a distance of 5 miles (8 km) at 100% throttle. However, when tested at 25% throttle, the battery lasted for 19 hours and covered a distance of 34 miles (55 km), according to PlugBoats.
The swappable battery design means that boaters can bring one or more spare batteries to pop into the unit to expand the electric boat’s range and run time. It’s the same concept as keeping a red gas can on board, just without the mess, expense, fumes, danger, or need to remember to stop at a gas station before heading out.
The transom-mount outboard motor features a standard tiller control but is also set up for digital power & shift remote controls for either center or side console mounting. It also has compatibility with the Mercury Marine smartphone app to offer GPS, a battery charge monitor, and a range estimator.
Electrek’s Take
There are several new small electric outboards and kayak e-motors coming out, and the entire area excites me. I’m a big fan of small electric boats for enjoying some relaxing fun on the water or reaching fishing spots that larger vessels couldn’t access.
Self-contained systems like Mercury’s Avator line, which are basically as easy to operate as a power drill, are going to make light electric boats even more enticing.
The biggest issues are still cost and range, but increasing competition is helping with the former while swappable batteries are helping with the latter.
Hopefully I can get on a Veer X13 soon and test out that Avator 7.5e. Or maybe I should just get one for my own little lake cruiser.
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Environment
Hyundai’s new Kona Electric is even cheaper to lease than the gas-powered model at $169/mo
The newly designed Hyundai Kona Electric is better in every way, with more range, faster charging, and a bold new style. Hyundai’s new 2024 Kona Electric is even cheaper to lease than the gas-powered model, starting at $169 per month.
Hyundai Kona Electric cheaper to lease than gas model
Hyundai revealed the 2024 Kona Electric at the NY Auto Show last April with a sleek new “EV-derived” design.
You can instantly see the upgrades with a modern style closer to its IONIQ 5 and 6 dedicated EVs. The inside is nearly 6″ longer, with an additional 3″ legroom in the second row. A flat floor design creates more head and shoulder space than the previous model.
Hyundai included its next-gen dual 12.3″ infotainment system with a faster, more intelligent user face. It also comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard.
The 2024 Kona EV features a slightly bigger battery with faster charging and up to 261 miles range. Starting under $33,000, the 2024 Kona Electric is already one of the most affordable EVs in the US.
2024 Kona EV prices
It’s available in three trims: SE, SEL, and Limited. The base SE model includes a 48.6 kWh battery for up to 200 miles range. The SEL and Limited feature a 64.8 kWh battery, good for up to 261 miles range.
2024 Hyundai Kona electric trim |
Starting Price (not including a $1,335 delivery fee) |
| SE | $32,675 |
| SEL | $36,675 |
| Limited | $41,045 |
With an up to $7,500 featured cash offer, you can lease the 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric SE for as low as $169 per month.
The deal is for 24 months, with $1,999 due at signing. It also includes the $7,500 EV Lease Bonus for a net capitalized cost of $25,370.
If you’re looking for the higher-range SEL trim, it can be leased for as little as $199 per month. That’s also for 24 months, with $1,579 due at signing. With the EV credit, the net capitalized cost is $29,419.
However, you may have to act fast. Hyundai’s website shows the deal ends in five days on April 30, 2024.
Are you ready to drive off in your new Hyundai Kona Electric at some of the lowest prices yet? We can help you get started. You can use our link to find deals on the 2024 Hyundai Kona Electric near you today.
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On the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss all the news coming out of Tesla’s earnings, Model 3 Performance, Mercedes-Benz electric G-Class, and more.
Sponsored by SplitVolt: The Splitvolt Splitter Switch automatically shares power from your existing 240V dryer socket with your Level 2 EV charger. Learn more here.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):
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Rivian has promised free NACS adapters will be sent out to its owners, and it’s starting that process now.
Rivian officially got access to Tesla’s Supercharger network last month, but in order to use it, non-Tesla cars need an adapter. Most other EVs come with a CCS plug, but Tesla’s plug is now called NACS, after it opened its charge standard in 2022.
Third party adapters have been available, but several of the automakers that have announced they’re switching to NACS have committed to sending out adapters to owners as soon as they’re available. We saw the Rivian adapter design leaked in February.
So far, Ford and Rivian have Supercharger access, with GM, Polestar and Volvo coming this spring, and others coming later. Tesla previously announced that GM would get access in February, so we imagine that is coming imminently (we heard reports on social media today that GM adapters are now available, but GM communications told us that those reports are not accurate, and that they will be available “later this year”).
In February, Ford did start sending out adapters, becoming the first automaker to do so. This is fitting, given that Ford was the first domino that led to basically the entire industry adopting NACS.
However, delivery of Ford adapters has been a little slow, with delivery estimates being pushed back by Ford.
Now, Rivian is becoming the second automaker to send out adapters.
Rivian owners have started to receive emails from the automaker asking for their shipping address, according to a thread on rivianforums.com. The original poster has a low VIN number, as do some other forum users who got the email, so we imagine they might be high on the list, with other owners with higher VINs getting their emails soon.
The email states:
Hi there,
Good news! Your complimentary NACS DC adapter is ready to be shipped. Please follow the link below to let us know your preferred delivery address within 60 days of receiving this email.
Please Note: Unfortunately, we cannot support shipping to PO Boxes or any addresses that are outside the United States or Canada at this time.
So – if you’re a Rivian owner, keep your eyes on your email, because it sounds like adapter shipping is imminent (and make sure you’ve responded to the April 4 email to opt-in to receiving the adapter).
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