Mercury’s new electric outboards unveiled in Alghero. Here they are

Mercury is moving forward briskly toward electric with its new Avator range, and it’s not stopping at small powers. We got the confirmation directly from the general manager of Mercury Italia, Alessandro Conti, during the event “Living the Sea Sustainably” organized in Alghero by
Boatness
, a reference point for boating in Sardinia of the historic Falchi family, which is Mercury’s dealer and service center.

The new Mercury electric range

As we anticipated here, Alessandro Conti has unveiled the models that complement the innovative “small” Mercury
Avator 7.5e
(comparable to a 3.5 hp thermal). The new electric outboard models are the Mercury Avator 20e (comparable to a 5 hp) and the Mercury 35e (comparable an 9.9 hp).

But he also unveiled that the Mercury electric outboard range will also be enriched by the 75e (comparable to 20 hp) and the 11e (comparable to a 30 hp).

Mercury’s CEO explained well, however, not to be misled by theoretical equivalences with conventional heat engines. Exactly as with electric cars, in the case of outboards it is the power delivery that is completely different. Continuous torque, scorching cue…in short, a different way of dosing power, a different way of navigating.

Conti also explained that equally one should not think about consumption and thus range in the same way as a thermal. Granted that a Mercury electric motor is guaranteed for at least one hour of range at maximum power, the reduction in consumption in this case drops exponentially by decreasing the power output. If at maximum power a Mercury Avator 75e provides one hour or 5 miles of range, at 25% of maximum power the range becomes 19 hours or 34 miles!

Electric range of an outboard false problem

The practical test, which demonstrated theory in practice, took place with a test carried out in the small dock at the institutional headquarters Porto Conte Regional Natural Park, and Capo Caccia Marine Protected Area – Isola Piana, Casa Gioiosa inside the former penal colony of Tramariglio.

Made available to Boatness by the Falchi family, a series of inflatable boats equipped with Mercury electric outboards sailed the crystal-clear waters of the Alghero coastline, demonstrating in practice that autonomy is a false problem for electric. Exactly as you carry a capacious tank of fuel with the heat engine, if you want to double the range all you need to do is have a second charged spare battery on board, which in the case of Mercury Avator 75e weighs only 7 kg. Or. For higher models place the high range battery pack the same way tanks are placed in boats propelled by conventional engines (see image).

With Electricity in Marine Protected Areas.

Within the the “Living the Sea Sustainably” event, the director of the Capo Caccia Isola Piana Marine Area Mariano Mariani also spoke, announcing that among the innovations he wants to introduce in the near future, even in the areas now forbidden to navigation, the freedom of entry to boats propelled by electric motors.

This announcement should be taken as an example by all 32 Italian Marine Areas. Because electric, we sometimes forget, does not generate any exhaust and direct emissions. And then the word sustainable, blue economy, respect for the sea is filled with content. Thanks to electric.