![First drive with Mercury Marine's electric Avator motors: A smooth, quiet ride (for small boats) [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/06/Mercury-electric-motors-Avator-110e-wake-side.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
First drive with Mercury Marine’s electric Avator motors: A smooth, quiet ride (for small boats) [Video]
A major name in marine mobility is dipping its toe into all-electric motors – Mercury. The noted developer of marine technologies has launched its five initial outboards under its new Avator lineup of all-electric motors, and I got the chance to test each of them out in Charleston, South Carolina. Be sure to check out the video below to see just how quiet these electric motors truly are.
Mercury Marine is the propulsion-focused division of Brunswick Corporation and has been helping people move quickly and efficiently across the water for 85 years and counting. While a vast majority of the company’s past innovation and expertise lies in combustion boat engines, it has begun to research and develop all-electric options, and is starting small.
With five initial outboard options, Mercury’s new line of Avator all-electric outboard motors is not small in size but more so in stature. The company debuted the first entry in the Avator line in January 2023, beginning with the 7.5e—a small and nimble outboard designed for small vessels that can be installed as an all-in-one self-contained system, complete with a motor, battery pack, and electronics.
By August of 2023, Mercury announced two additional all-electric motors to the Avator line: The 20e and 35e. All three operate using nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cells and add to a lineup of varying levels of power and range for small watercraft owners.
At CES 2024, Mercury announced the final two additions to its initial lineup of Avator outboards – the 75e and 110e – its two most powerful all-electric motors to date, complete with a new LiFePO4 battery chemistry. Just this week, the 75e and 110e officially launched, offering consumers even more zero-emissions power and modular battery capacity to boot.
However, while Mercury’s lineup of all-electric motors continues to grow, it still has a long way to go before its next-generation outboard technology can compete with the combustion variants it has specialized in for so long.
Mercury launches full lineup of electric onboard motors
With the launch of the electric 75e and 110e motors, Mercury’s originally announced lineup of Avator outboards is complete, and there’s a lot to be excited about. However, if you’re hoping to buy one and take it out on choppy ocean waters for an entire day, this technology just isn’t there yet.
Having spent over eight decades specializing in combustion engines, Mercury is admittedly new to the EV game. So, it has started slowly to ensure everything is right, and that’s just fine. As a result, the Avator lineup is young and very niche, catering to smaller boats you’d use for activities like fishing, short trips, and leisurely cruises on the pontoon.
The specs won’t blow you away on paper, as the top-tier 110e Avator only produces 15 hp. However, driving or riding on the vessels these Mercury electric motors were designed for is a treat and a great start in what I hope will be an ever-growing and innovating portfolio in the company’s future business model.
The two new models especially come with a built-in charger onboard, available in 520- and 1,040-watt options. This makes charging at any dock or marina with an AC plug handy, but the rates will need to be improved. For example, the two packs on the 110e system take about 10 hours to recharge to get about an hour on the water at full throttle (those rates obviously change due to several factors, which I outline in my video below).
What’s cool is that customers can opt to add more Mercury battery packs to their system for more range, like four instead of two on the 110e pontoon I captained. Still, the batteries remain bulky and relatively heavy, so unless you own a barge, integrating the system and multiple packs into your boat might be tough right now. It all depends on the vessel.
To get a better idea of just what these electric outboards can deliver, check out the performance specs for each model from Mercury below:
My first impression of the Avator models is just how smooth, quiet, and functional they are. As you’ll notice in my video below, Mercury’s outboards emit over 50% less noise pollution than their combustion counterparts, and throttling up or down on one feels so subtle and natural that you might not even notice you were moving if you weren’t looking at the water.
Most of the noise comes from the motor’s wake, which isn’t that large since these outboards sit on the lowest end of available horsepower in the segment. These are perfect motors for casual cruising that complement the serene experience of time out on the water.
Instead of rattling, vibrations, and nasty fumes, all you are left with is the calm hum of the motor (which you only notice at full bore), the splash of the wake at the stern, and the fountain-like sounds of the water lapping as you carve through it. It’s quite relaxing.
Another tremendous advantage I noticed is the ability of Mercury’s electric motors to turn easily and sharply without any jarring or swaying as a passenger. The lower speeds help, but even at full throttle, the turn radius of any Avator-equipped boat was spectacular.
The Mercury display screen on the helm offers drivers all the necessary metrics when out on the water, including kW usage, battery life, and estimated range remaining. The limited range on the display when in full throttle is a little off-putting at first, but it’s amazing how much further you can travel if you reel the throttle back to just 75%. Again, these motors are perfect for slow, leisurely cruises.
Overall, I think the Avator lineup is an excellent start, and I applaud Brunswick and Mercury for exploring all-electric propulsion technology without half-assing it. Would I have liked to see more power, range, and charging speeds? Yes, always.
But this isn’t an EV OEM, and Mercury knows it’s wading into uncharted waters. Its team is still cutting its teeth on this nascent but growing segment and, from what I hear, has plenty of plans to improve it in the future; it’s just going to take a lot of R&D, trial and error, and I’m sure plenty of boat owners with dual 300 hp two stroke engines talking smack before Mercury delivers some outboards that can genuinely compete with their ICE counterparts.
I’m looking forward to that future and plan to follow Mercury’s progress every step of the way. For now, here’s video footage of my experience riding and operating the Avator lineup of electric outboard motors. Enjoy!
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T1 Energy (NYSE: TE), formerly FREYR Battery, kicks off preparations for its new solar cell factory, set to be one of the largest in the US.
T1 Energy has chosen Yates Construction as the contractor for preconstruction services and site preparations for its planned $850 million, G2_Austin 5 GW Solar Cell Facility.
The G2_Austin site is in Milam County, Texas, in the Advanced Manufacturing and Logistix Campus at Sandow Lakes.
It’s expected to create up to 1,800 new direct US advanced manufacturing jobs. Construction is on track to kick off in mid-2025, and the facility is expected to begin producing cells by the end of 2026. There are currently far fewer solar cell manufacturing sites in the US than solar module factories, according to the SEIA.
On December 24, FREYR announced that it had closed its acquisition of China-headquartered Trina Solar’s 5-gigawatt (GW), 1.35 million-square-foot solar panel factory in Wilmer, Texas. The company renamed the factory G1_Dallas, which employs more than 1,000 people and is now fully online.
Daniel Barcelo, T1’s chairman of the board and CEO, said, “Our facilities will manufacture solar cells and modules to invigorate our economy with abundant energy. We’re excited to work with Yates and Milam County to bring American advanced manufacturing to the heart of Texas and to unlock our most scalable energy resources.”
T1 Energy says it anticipates finalizing commercial terms with Yates Construction as General Contractor.
Read more: FREYR rebrands after killing its $2.6B Georgia battery factory plans
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![Kia's affordable EV2 may be small, but it looks bigger in person [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/05/Kia-EV2-closer-look.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The EV2 is set to arrive as Kia’s smallest and most affordable electric vehicle next year. With its official debut coming up, the electric SUV was spotted driving on public roads. The electric SUV may be small, but it looks bigger in person.
Kia’s new EV2 is an affordable, small electric SUV
Kia has yet to say precisely how big the EV2 will be, but it’s expected to be around 4,000 mm (157″), or slightly smaller than the EV3 at 4,300 mm (169.3″). That’s even more compact than the outgoing Chevy Bolt EV (163.2″).
During its EV Day event in April, Kia unveiled the Concept EV2, a preview of the entry-level EV that will sit below the EV3.
Although it’s the brand’s smallest EV, Kia promises that it will feel larger when you’re inside. The EV2 sits higher than you’d expect with a wide front end, giving it a bigger presence on the road, similar to the three-row EV9.
We got a sneak peek at Kia’s affordable EV last month after it was spotted testing on public roads in Korea, but the latest sighting gives us a closer look at the EV2 in its production form. The new video from HealerTV reveals a few details that could look a little different from the concept.
The footage shows what appears to be different daytime running lights (DRLs). When Kia unveiled the Concept EV2 in April, it featured a unique split vertical headlight design.
The EV2 spotted driving still has the split design, but both the inner and outer lights appear to be angled more inwards. It’s not a huge difference, but given most of Kia’s new EVs look almost identical to the concepts, this could be something to keep an eye on.
Prices, specs, and more
Despite being an entry-level model, the EV2 is still equipped with advanced technology and features, including vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability, which allows it to power a campsite, home appliances, and other electronics. With OTA updates, it will only get smarter and more advanced over time.
The interior will feature Kia’s new ccNC (connected car Navigation Cockpit), which features dual 12.3″ driver cluster and touchscreen navigation screens in a panoramic display.
Like its other new EV models, it’s also expected to include a 5″ climate control display for nearly 30″ of screen space.
Kia plans to launch the EV2 next year in Europe and “other global regions.” For those in the US, sorry to disappoint, but it’s not expected to make the trip overseas. We do have the EV4, Kia’s first electric sedan, to look forward to.
We will learn prices and final specs closer to launch, but given it will sit below the EV3, it will likely be cheaper than that.
The EV3 starts at £32,995 ($44,800) in the UK and €35,990 ($41,600) in Europe. Kia’s CEO, Ho-Sung Song, told Autocar in 2023 that the company aims to launch the EV2 at around £25,000 ($32,000) in the UK. With new battery technology and other advancements, it could be even more affordable when it arrives next year.
Kia isn’t the only automaker gearing up to launch a new entry-level EV. Last week, we got a glimpse of the upcoming Volkswagen ID.2 after it was spotted in public testing.
Should Kia bring the EV2 to the US? Would you buy one for around $30,000 or even slightly less? Drop us a comment below and let us know.
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Environment
This electric pickup is taking Korea by storm, now it’s going global on a ‘full-scale conquest’
It’s not a Kia or Hyundai, but the Musso EV pickup truck is shaking up the Korean Market. After the first models left for Europe, the company’s CEO is already saying it will be a “driving force” as it goes on a global conquest.
Korea has a new EV pickup that’s going global
During an event celebrating the first exports of its new Musso EV and Torres HEV pickup trucks, KG Mobility’s CEO, Kwak Jae-Seon, said the new models “have already received favorable reviews and garnered much attention from reporters and sales agents.”
KG Mobility (KGM) expects them to serve as “a driving force” as it expands exports into new global markets. The first Ro-Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) hit the seas on June 12 carrying 983 vehicles, 184 Musso EVs, and 799 Torres HEVs.
The vessel is headed for Europe, where the first models will be sold in Germany, Spain, Norway, Hungary, and other markets, starting in August.
Jae-Seon, who personally drove the Musso EV onto the car carrier, said during the event that pickup is now on a “full-scale conquest” as it rolls out globally.
KGM’s EV pickup has already generated quite the buzz in Korea, beating Hyundai and Kia to the first fully electric pickup truck.
After launching the Musso EV pickup in Korea in March, the company announced it had secured over 3,200 orders in two weeks. The Special Edition model sold out in an hour and a half.
KGM promotes the vehicles as “a new alternative to mid-size SUVs” that’s more useful as an everyday ride with more interior space.
Measuring 5,160 mm long, 1,920 mm wide, and 1,740 mm tall, the electric pickup is about the size of a Ford Ranger (5,225 mm long, 1,910 mm wide, and 1,866 mm tall).
The infotainment system looks a lot like new Hyundai and Kia EVs with a dual 12.3″ driver cluster and touchscreen navigation screens in a panoramic display.
It also comes with a Land Rover-like ClearSite Ground View camera, allowing you to see what’s beneath you through several strategically placed cameras.
The electric pickup is powered by an 86.6 kWh LFP battery, providing a range of nearly 250 miles (400 km). With up 200 kW fast charging, it can recharge to 80% in 24 minutes.
KGM’s Musso EV is available in both single (FWD) and dual-motor setups. The FWD version features a 152.2 kW front motor, producing up to 207 horsepower, while the AWD model boasts up to 413 horsepower. It can tow almost 4,000 lbs (1.8 tons) and includes a “trailer sway function” to stabilize the vehicle while towing.
The Musso EV pickup starts at 48 million won, or about $35,000. With incentives, KGM says the purchase price is closer to 39.62 million won ($29,000).
With more monthly exports in May than it has in 10 years, KGM expects the Musso EV pickup to accelerate the momentum.
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