Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - April 2023 - 17

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS
Mercury states that the Avator 7.5e has a
range of up to 34 miles (55 km) or 19 hours
at 25% throttle.
Veering off
Brunswick also announced the launch
of Veer at CES, the company's new entry-level
boat brand designed to support
electric propulsion. " Our target
consumer is looking for a brand that
brings new energy and new thinking to
the outdoor experience, " said Matt
Atilano, Veer director of strategy.
" Through Veer, we look forward to deliver
on these desires and on
Brunswick's promise to expand access
to the water and democratize boating. "
Veer's first offering will be the X13, a
13-foot hull with a rotomolded polyethylene
construction. The X13 was designed
to accommodate the Avator
electric outboards but also can be fitted
with Mercury's gasoline FourStroke
units. The X13 features a shallow draft
of just 6.3 inches (16 cm) and weighs in
at 382 lbs (173 kg). Pricing for the X13
starts at $11,995 USD and will be available
in the spring of 2023.
A new generation
Mercury's electrification efforts are not
solely limited to its all-electric outboards.
The company recently released
its first V10 Verado outboard, which
features an optional 48V/12V dualmode
alternator. The unit can provide
up to 6 kW of power per engine.
" Think of it as a plug-in hybrid system
for boats, " said Drees. " You can
plug it in at the dock overnight to 40V
service to charge the battery, and
when the engine(s) are running, the
TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
Brunswick also offers the Fathom power management system, which eliminates the need for an
onboard ICE generator.
alternator can recharge the battery
system. If you have three or four engines
mounted on the back of your
boat, they are producing 20-25 kW of
electrical power, which means the
charging speed is extremely rapid. "
The alternator system is designed to
pair with Navico Group's Fathom ePower
System, an integrated lithium-ion
auxiliary power management system
that eliminates the need for an onboard
ICE generator.
" We are laser focused on our ACES
strategy to transform the boating experience,
and a major component of that
is electrification, " said Brett Dibkey,
Navico Group president. " The enhanced
Fathom system provides reliable power
management and control, allowing users
to better understand and manage
their power needs. "
The system features components from
Mastervolt, BEP, CZone, Ancor and Blue
Sea Systems. It is available in 12V, 24V
and 48V customizable kits and can independently
manage energy storage and
power conversion. The system reportedly
was designed to integrate seamlessly into
a wide range of boats and recreational
vehicle powertrains while also eliminating
the noise, vibration and fumes associated
with traditional generators.
" Fathom's customizable kits were
designed to simplify electrification for
our OEM partners, " added Dibkey. " The
preconfigured kits seamlessly integrate
into any vessel or vehicle, allowing
manufacturers to better serve their customers'
specific needs. "
Matt Wolfe
April 2023 17
Brunswick has announced the launch of Veer, a new entry-level boat brand designed to support
electric propulsion.
ALL IMAGES: BRUNSWICK

Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - April 2023