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Hydrogeneration is used to create electricity and is used in hydroelectric power stations and an electric vehicle’s regenerative braking system. During hydrogeneration, water passively spins the propeller on the motor which generates electricity through electromagnetic induction.

ePropulsion is the first motor manufacturer to introduce hydrogenation into their motors.

On a sailboat with an ePropulsion electric motor, it requires the boat to be moving on it’s own from the wind, and travelling at a minimum of 4 knots. If you’re travelling greater than 19 knots, hydrogeneration is automatically disabled to prevent the motor from overcharging.

Hydrogeneration is available with the Spirit 1.0 Evo, Navy 3.0 Evo, Navy 6.0 Evo or an Pod Drive 6.0 Evo motor (the folding propeller is not compatible). It requires a genuine ePropulsion battery.

To use hydrogeneration, place the Evo control in the neutral position, and turn on the hydrogeneration function in the control setting (which is on by default). The motor remains in a power-on state.
Hydrogeneration will automatically stop once the battery has reached a 90% charge.

Yes, many 3rd-party solar panels can be used as long as they meet the following specs:

• 100W to 180W
• Operating voltage of 12V to 35V
• Maximum of 10A
• MC4 connectors

To connect a 3rd-party solar panel, you’ll need the solar charge controller.

Yes, you can have a solar panel permanently connected and be charging while you’re using it or while you’re not.

ePropulsion batteries are designed for maximum efficiency, performance and safety. Using 3rd-party batteries does not allow for the use of the communication cable which brings data accuracy to the gauge and ensures useful operating strategy for safety and performance.

Finally, if there’s an issue with the motor, using a genuine ePropulsion battery ensures the warranty won’t be voided by use of a 3rd-party battery.

All this being said, many boaters successfully utilize 3rd-party batteries without issues.

While no mining process can be deemed entirely environmentally friendly, whether it’s for resources like tin, copper, coal, or oil, it’s essential to understand the broader context. Humans have been engaged in mining and drilling activities for thousands of years, particularly in the recent past for oil, which has been extensively used for powering vehicles, producing plastics, and generating various non-recyclable by-products in the developed world.

The oil industry, in particular, has witnessed several significant environmental catastrophes due to mishaps at drilling sites or transportation errors, causing extensive harm to oceans and ecosystems.

In contrast, there have been no recorded incidents where lithium mining or its transportation led to the contamination of the world’s oceans.

Absolutely!

All ePropulsion LiFePO4 batteries boast a remarkably long lifespan with at least 3000 charge cycles, translating to a potential 20-30 years before reaching their end of life.

When that time comes, they are fully recyclable. These batteries can be either repurposed for another role or reconditioned for continued use. Unlike oil and its by-products like sulphur, once the materials in a LiFePO4 battery are used, they can be recycled and utilized again and again.

Yes, all ePropulsion outboards are designed for use in saltwater. ePropulsion uses high-quality, aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, which is naturally highly-resistant to corrosion, as the base material.

Protective Coatings

On top of the aluminum alloy are two protective coatings. An anodic oxide coating (anodizing) is applied to aluminum alloy, and then it’s powder coated.

Pod drives require additional corrosion protection since they remain submerged in saltwater for years at a time. A hard anodic oxidation coating and Teflon coating to replace the normal anodic oxide coating and the powder coating.

Metal Connectors

To improve the connector durability, Spirit 1.0 Plus and Spirit 1.0 Evo feature a metal connector between the power cable and the battery. The base material is stainless steel, and PVD (Physical vapor deposition) processing is applied to the connector. PVD coating is harder and more corrosion resistant than coatings applied by a standard electroplating process. So after hundreds of times connecting and unplugging, the metal connector can still be corrosion-resistant.

Anodes

Sacrificial zinc anodes add further corrosion protection, and can be easily replaced as needed.

Tips for Keeping Your Electric Motor Corrosion-Resistant in Saltwater

Don’t keep your outboard immersed in saltwater permanently. Remove it from the water after each use and rinse it with fresh water. It’s so light and quick to remove (and even quicker if it’s an eLite!) and there is no fuel smell or fumes to worry about, so there’s really no excuse not to stow away indoors once it’s dry.

It’s also important to avoid scratches that could damage the protective coatings. If you happen to scratch the motor body, contact us (and include a photo of it) for inspection. Early damage control and repair will prevent it from getting worse.

Electric outboards eliminate the need for oil changes, fuel filter replacements, and spark plug maintenance, making them significantly easier to care for than combustion outboards.

ePropulsion electric outboards require minimal regular upkeep. Maintenance primarily involves rinsing with freshwater after it has been in saltwater.

When used regularly during the season, it’s advisable to lightly coat the electrical contacts with WD40 once a month. Ensure you cover the cable ends and Spirit battery ports with caps when disconnected.

Similar to gasoline outboards, ePropulsion models come with zinc anodes that should be replaced after significant wear. However, electric outboards don’t need winterizing, though proper battery storage is essential. Taking care of the battery of your electric outboard is crucial for its longevity.

Electric outboards don’t require winterization, but the battery should be charged to about 80% before winter storage. It is also advised to check the battery’s charge state every three months during long periods of inactivity.

Inspect the electrical connections of your motor for any corrosion or loose connections periodically. There are other similar maintenance duties you must should for an electric boat motor that you do for the traditional gas motors like checking the propellers and storing it properly.

Overall, electric outboard maintenance demands considerably less effort than that of gas boat motors.

Yes, as long as you have an external battery cable. ePropulsion recommends a second Spirit Battery Plus or their 48v E-Series batteries if you need more range. If you’d like to keep your motor looking good without the Spirit battery mounted on top, you can also purchase a motor cowling.

The Spirit battery does not need to be connected to a Spirit outboard in order to charge. You can charge your battery with a regular 110V outlet using the standard charger or fast charger. A standard charger is included with the Spirit 1.0 Plus or Evo electric outboard.

The Spirit battery can also be charged with a solar panel (such as the foldable 180W solar panel) using a solar charge controller, or with a 12 volt charger.

No, you can purchase a power extension cable and store the battery elsewhere. You can also purchase a motor cowling to keep your Spirit outboard looking good.

Yes, although we recommend using genuine ePropulsion batteries with ePropulsion motors. In addition, the hydrogeneration feature of the Spirit 1.0 Evo and Navy Evo motors will not work with 3rd-party batteries.

For the 3rd-party batteries specs, the nominal battery rated voltage should be 48V, and the continuous discharge current should be over 62.5A (Navy 3.0 Evo and Pod Drive 3.0 Evo), and 125A (Navy 6.0 Evo and Pod Drive 6.0 Evo). To ensure at least one hour duration, the battery capacity should reach at least 3000Wh or 6000Wh.

When powered by 3rd-party batteries, the ePropulsion motor cannot access the real-time battery status nor apply the best operation strategy.

If any malfunction occurred due to the 3rd party batteries, the warranty would not apply.

There are a number of factors that can impact the lifespan of your ePropulsion Spirit battery, which include:

• Avoid regularly depleting the battery less than 20%: If you regularly run your battery below 20%, it will decrease the lifespan of your battery. We recommend charging your battery when it reaches 20% whenever possible. It’s OK to occasionally deplete it to as low as 5% but try not to fully deplete it. You can always purchase a second Spirit Battery Plus if you need more range.
• Employ good charging habits: While it’s good practice not to deplete your battery less than 20%, it’s better for the battery health to deplete to a 20% to 50% charge before charging it. If you regularly charge your battery when it’s already at 60% or more it will reduce the lifespan.
• Avoid temperature extremes: Avoid storing your battery at below freezing temperatures. ePropulsion recommends storing your battery in a dry location with an ambient temperature between 15°C (59°F) and 25°C (77°F). The battery should always be charged at between 5°C (41°F) and 30°C (86°F). Never use your battery to power the motor when the temperature is below -10°C (14°F) or above 60°C (140°F). Charging, discharging and storing your ePropulsion Spirit Plus battery within moderate temperatures within the ranges above will help maximize the battery’s lifespan.
• Keep is semi-charged over the winter: Before storing your battery for the winter, charge it to over 60%. The battery will slowly discharge until it hits 60%. When the battery has not been used in a while and hits 60% charge, it will go into deep sleep mode. In deep sleep mode, the battery self discharges more slowly than normal. To wake it up in the Spring, simply plug the battery into the charger. It is recommended that you plug in the battery once every three months when not in use in order to check the state of charge. If it has fallen much below 60%, repeat the step above. If you store your battery for a long period of time with less than 60% charge, it may self discharge to 0%. If the battery deeply discharges to a true zero percent charge, it will not be able to be recovered and you will need to purchase a new battery.

ePropulsion Spirit batteries are rated for at least 500 cycles at 80% depth of discharge (DoD). This means that you should expect to be able to use your ePropulsion Spirit at least 500 times, running the battery from 100% to 20% each time. Most users will find that they use less than 80% of the battery each outing, and can thus expect more than 500 cycles.

All lithium batteries degrade over time, losing about 1% to 3% of their capacity each year. There are a number of factors that can impact the lifespan of your ePropulsion battery, but if you take good care of it, you can expect to get about 7 years of useful life from the battery. After about 7 years, the battery will likely still be usable, but will have significantly less capacity than it did when it was new. At this point, you can purchase a new battery.