First boat equipped with Yamaha's electric motor
Japanese marine engine manufacturer Yamaha and its Italian partner Venmar are presenting the first production boat equipped with its electric outboard motor technology. Called Respiro, it is a 6.93-meter open boat made of carbon fiber, flax, basalt and mahogany by the Italian shipyard located on the Lido of Venice. With its batteries, the boat claims a displacement of 690 kg. It integrates the Harmo motor, with a power of 4 kW, and all the peripherals, including the Helm Master EX control system and its joystick. With its nozzle and rotation system, the Yamaha electric outboard allows, according to its manufacturer, an increased precision of maneuvering.
At this stage, we do not have indications on the autonomy of the boat and the capacity of the batteries, whose voltage is in 12V.
A step towards the diversification of the electric marine motor offer
The presentation of the Harmo on a boat for sale is another step in Yamaha's entry into the electric boat propulsion market. The Japanese engine maker had caught the eye in 2016 at the METS Trade in Amsterdam when it exhibited its first prototype, but it had kept a low profile until announcing that it would resume testing in August 2020. The release of a first boat as an OEM could herald the welcome arrival of a new heavyweight player in an electric motor market dominated by Torqeedo due to its precedence.
