Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - April 2023 - 16

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS
ELECTRIFICATION
Brunswick launches all-electric marine outboard
Brunswick Corporation made several
product announcements at CES 2023 in
Las Vegas. The company showcased its
electrification efforts for recreational
boats under its Mercury Marine brand
with the launch of the Avator 7.5e electric
outboard.
" We are excited to formally introduce
the Avator 7.5e electric outboard to the
world, " said Chris Drees, Mercury Marine
president. " As the innovation leader in
the marine industry, both in internalcombustion
products and now electric
propulsion, we have the resources and
knowledge to make boating more accessible
to more people, while building
on our commitment to sustainability. "
Watts on water
Mercury is billing the Avator line as " the
next step forward in marine innovation. "
The 7.5e model unveiled at CES will be
the first in a series of electric outboards.
The company also displayed a pair of
higher-output concept outboards, the
20e and 35e. The full Avator line reportedly
will hit the open water for public
sale later this year.
The 7.5e is rated at 750W of power at
the prop shaft, which correlates to
roughly the same output and performance
as a Mercury 3.5-hp FourStroke
outboard. It is available with a tiller or
remote steering and is intended for use
in small boats such as tenders, inflatables
The Avator series
will serve as Mercury
Marine's line of allelectric
outboards.
and kayaks. The Avator series also features
swappable lithium-ion batteries.
The 48V/1-kWh pack was developed in
partnership with Mastervolt and is IP67rated
for water resistance.
" By developing interchangeable batteries,
we were able to give boaters the
ability to outfit themselves with enough
power to enjoy more fun adventures, "
said Jim Hergert, senior category manager
for small outboards at Mercury
Marine. " With any electric mobility system,
range and runtime are impacted
by many factors. Boaters who need to
stay out longer or go farther can bring
along an extra battery. Swapping batteries
literally only takes seconds. "
All Avator outboards will feature a
The Avator outboards all will feature batteries
that can be easily interchanged.
16 April 2023
transverse flux motor, which was chosen
" because of its high torque density, "
according to Andrew Przybyl, engine
and vessel calibration technical specialist
at Mercury Marine. " The motor can
generate instant torque at low rpm, "
Przybyl explained. " Because of that, we
were able to design a large-diameter
three-blade prop that spins slower,
which is better for efficiency and overall
performance. The result is faster 0-4
mph acceleration and higher efficiency
than similar competitive outboards. "
Power status and estimated runtime
of the Avator is tracked via a digital
display mounted on the unit. A 110W
charger is standard. Mercury did not
provide an official charging time for the
7.5e but did state that faster charging
speeds are an option. Mercury states
that at 100% constant throttle, the
range of the 7.5e is 5 miles (8 km) or 60
minutes when powering a 13-foot,
382-pound (173-kg) boat. At 25% constant
throttle, the range increases to 34
miles (55 km) or 19 hours.
The total weight of the 7.5e excluding
the battery is 43 lbs (19.5 kg). The battery
itself weighs 17 lbs (7.6 kg). With
the battery installed, 7.5e weighs approximately
19 lbs (8.6 kg) more than
the equivalent-output gas outboard.
TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
ALL IMAGES: BRUNSWICK
Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - April 2023

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