Tohatsu, Japan’s oldest builder of outboard motors, just unveiled its first all-electric outboard at the big Miami show. The new outboard, developed in partnership with Ilmor Marine in Detroit, delivers 6kW (the equivalent of 8.2-hp), enough to power a small boat or RIB.
The 6kW outboard is just the first in a new family of electric outboards, Tohatsu said. It has integrated tilt and trim, a touchscreen to run all its systems, and many options for shafts and props. It will be available in the U.S., Canada and Europe later this year.
The Miami announcement is just the latest in the growth of the electric outboard market. Last month, Yamaha announced that it will purchase Torqeedo, the German pioneer of electric outboards, with more than two decades of experience in electric outboard R&D.
For its part, Tohatsu was the first Japanese company to make an outboard motor, in 1956. Yamaha, Suzuki and Honda all entered the outboard market over the following years, but Tohatsu has remained one of Japan’s leading outboard manufacturers.
A high-performance engine builder, Ilmor was started in 1984, and has become a legend on the auto racing circuit. Indeed, it has won more IndyCar races than any other engine builder. It offers marine engines now to Formula and Aviara, among other builders.
In a joint statement, the two companies said, “This strategic collaboration marks a historic partnership between two industry leaders, combining the rich heritage of Tohatsu’s expertise in marine propulsion and Ilmor’s cutting-edge engineering prowess.”
