Growing interest from major engine manufacturers
The big news of the week was the acquisition of Torqeedo a pioneer of modern electric power in pleasure boats since 2006 and Europe's leading player, by the Japanese group Yamaha. The operation brings the Japanese marine engine manufacturer fully into the electric boat market. It comes a year after Mercury Marine launched its Avator electric motors. Suzuki and Honda are announcing slightly more distant deadlines, but the facts are clear: the 4 major outboard brands will not remain confined to combustion engines.
Market structuring
Alongside the arrival of these heavyweights, the start-ups that have been present for several years now are seeking to structure themselves in order to expand. A succession of fund-raising announcements from Temo to Vision Marine Technologies and Genevos. This financing accelerates the industrialization of production, as well as the organization of sales and distribution. The challenge also exists for more established brands, such as ePropulsion, rethinking its sales methods by choosing a direct subsidiary rather than an importer-distributor in France.
While it's too early to say which engine manufacturers will be present on boats by 2030, there's no doubt that the big maneuvers have begun, and that the sector is set for major upheavals in the months and years ahead.
