Marine

Game-changing Yanmar 50 hp turbo diesel outboard motor begins production

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Compared to petrol outboards, the Yanmar is lighter, smoother, more compact, has double the engine life, and offers much better fuel consumption and running costs. It produces less toxic emissions, has more torque much lower in the rev range and  that's before you consider the safety and ready availability of diesel fuel.
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
Volume production of the unconventional Yanmar Dtorque 111 twin-cylinder 50 hp turbo-diesel outboard engine has now begun and the benefits over traditional outboard motors seem overwhelming
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
Volume production of the Yanmar Dtorque 111  50 hp turbo-diesel outboard has now begun and Yanmar dealers worldwide will be receiving stocks before the end of 2017
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
Volume production of the Yanmar Dtorque 111  50 hp turbo-diesel outboard has now begun and Yanmar dealers worldwide will be receiving stocks before the end of 2017
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
Volume production of the Yanmar Dtorque 111  50 hp turbo-diesel outboard has now begun and Yanmar dealers worldwide will be receiving stocks before the end of 2017
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
Volume production of the Yanmar Dtorque 111  50 hp turbo-diesel outboard has now begun and Yanmar dealers worldwide will be receiving stocks before the end of 2017
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
The Yanmar Dtorque 111 turbo-diesel 50hp outboard being put through its paces at the media launch
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
The Yanmar Dtorque 111 turbo-diesel 50hp outboard engine
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
We first became aware of Neander-Motors more than a decade ago when its highly unorthodox diesel engine was demonstrated in a motorcycle. Sadly, the benefits of the design were lost among the eccentricities of the motorcycle marketplace where small unconventional manufacturers are plentiful.
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
We first became aware of Neander-Motors more than a decade ago when its highly unorthodox diesel engine was demonstrated in a motorcycle. Sadly, the benefits of the design were lost among the eccentricities of the motorcycle marketplace where small unconventional manufacturers are plentiful.
Neander-Motor
We first became aware of Neander-Motors more than a decade ago when its highly unorthodox diesel engine was demonstrated in a motorcycle. Sadly, the benefits of the design were lost among the eccentricities of the motorcycle marketplace where small unconventional manufacturers are plentiful.
Neander-Motor
We first became aware of Neander-Motors more than a decade ago when its highly unorthodox diesel engine was demonstrated in a motorcycle. Sadly, the benefits of the design were lost among the eccentricities of the motorcycle marketplace where small unconventional manufacturers are plentiful.
Neander-Motor
We first became aware of Neander-Motors more than a decade ago when its highly unorthodox diesel engine was demonstrated in a motorcycle. Sadly, the benefits of the design were lost among the eccentricities of the motorcycle marketplace where small unconventional manufacturers are plentiful.
Neander-Motor
Compared to petrol outboards, the Yanmar is lighter, smoother, more compact, has double the engine life, and offers much better fuel consumption and running costs. It produces less toxic emissions, has more torque much lower in the rev range and  that's before you consider the safety and ready availability of diesel fuel.
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
Specs and features of the Yanmar Dtorque 111 twin-cylinder 50 hp turbo-diesel outboard engine
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
We first became aware of Neander-Motors more than a decade ago when its highly unorthodox diesel engine was demonstrated in a motorcycle. Sadly, the benefits of the design were lost among the eccentricities of the motorcycle marketplace where small unconventional manufacturers are plentiful.
Neander-Motor
Imagery from the Yanmar Dtorque 111 turbo-diesel 50hp outboard press launch
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
Twin Yanmar Dtorque 111 turbo-diesel 50hp outboards being put through their paces at the media launch
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
The Yanmar Dtorque 111 turbo-diesel 50hp outboard being put through its paces at the media launch
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
The Yanmar Dtorque 111 turbo-diesel 50hp outboard being put through its paces at the media launch
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
Imagery from the Yanmar Dtorque 111 turbo-diesel 50hp outboard press launch
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
The Yanmar Dtorque 111 turbo-diesel 50hp outboard being put through its paces at the media launch
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
Compared to petrol outboards, the Yanmar is lighter, smoother, more compact, has double the engine life, and offers much better fuel consumption and running costs. It produces less toxic emissions, has more torque much lower in the rev range and  that's before you consider the safety and ready availability of diesel fuel.
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
Fuel consumption comparisons
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
Torque comparisons
Yanmar/Neander-Motor
With support from the Norrkust Marina Varvs AB in Båtskärsnä (near Luleå in Sweden), the Dtorque was tested at temperatures of minus 15 degrees Celsius at the Ymer icebreaker. In a port area, which had been freed from ice for the tests, the engine ran perfectly in all speed and load ranges, and started and idled so reliably at these icy temperatures that the Swedish coast guard directly expressed interest in the technology.
Yanmar
View gallery - 25 images

Diesel has traditionally always been the fuel of the maritime industry, which makes the absence of a viable widely-distributed diesel outboard engine even more puzzling. Production of the 50 hp Yanmar Dtorque 111 turbo-diesel has begun and the world's first viable diesel outboard engine is on the market at last.

Yes, there have been precedents, most notably by Yanmar itself, but they are no longer produced and certainly not like this engine. The benefits of the unconventional new German-designed Neander-Shark engine compared to traditional petrol-burning outboard engines now seem overwhelming.

The Yanmar Dtorque 111 is lighter and more compact than petrol engines of similar capacity, has double the engine life, is much smoother, offers much better fuel consumption and running costs, produces significantly less toxic emissions, and with more torque much lower in the rev range, will thrust a boat onto the plane much quicker ... and that's before you consider the safety and ready availability of diesel fuel.

Pioneering non-traditional technology in any marketplace is fraught with peril, but it is a path that Germany's Neander Motors, based in the Baltic port of Kiel, has been forced to take in several markets, thanks to its two-conrods-per-piston, small-capacity diesel engines.

The benefits of the engine design are many, most significantly that the two-counter-rotating crankshafts offer perfect primary balance of the engine and a smoothness normally associated with six-cylinder petrol engines, not two-cylinder engines of any type, and particularly not diesel engines. With a lack of vibration inherent in the design, a Neander engine does not need the weighty vibration-absorbing robustness of a traditional diesel.

The announcement at the Monaco Yacht Show that Yanmar would begin global distribution of the Dtorque 111 outboard engines is a triumph for the Neander company and its long path to commercialization. The outboards will be produced by Austria's Steyr Motors.

We first became aware of Neander-Motors more than a decade ago when its highly unorthodox diesel engine was demonstrated in a motorcycle. Sadly, the benefits of the design were lost among the eccentricities of the motorcycle marketplace where small unconventional manufacturers are plentiful.
Yanmar/Neander-Motor

We first became aware of Neander-Motors more than a decade ago when its highly unorthodox diesel engine was demonstrated in a motorcycle.

We first became aware of Neander-Motors more than a decade ago when its highly unorthodox diesel engine was demonstrated in a motorcycle. Sadly, the benefits of the design were lost among the eccentricities of the motorcycle marketplace where small unconventional manufacturers are plentiful.
Neander-Motor

Sadly, the benefits of the design were lost among the eccentricities of the motorcycle marketplace where small unconventional manufacturers are plentiful. Now that the engine's primary virtues have been recognised and commercialised on a grand scale by Yanmar's global distribution, the Neander 1400cc turbocharged twin cylinder diesel might make a comeback too.

The Yanmar Dtorque 111 turbo-diesel 50hp outboard being put through its paces at the media launch
Yanmar/Neander-Motor

The compact Dtorque 111 will be a boon to the small workboat market where it's expected lifespan ofwell over 10,000 hours at least doubles that of any comparable outboard gasoline engine.

Torque comparisons
Yanmar/Neander-Motor

The Dtorque 111 is named for its remarkable low rpm torque, with 111 Nm on offer at 2,500 rpm. That's the type of grunt that will immediately fling a medium-sized boat onto the plane, offering a far different experience than a high revving traditional four-stroke.

Fuel consumption comparisons
Yanmar/Neander-Motor

As the world's smallest dieselengine with common-rail fuel injection, the Dtorque 111 delivers impressive fuel economy and exhaust emissions that fall well within the latest EURCD 2 limits. Even at full throttle and full loading, it typically burns less than 12 liters of fuel per hour, half the amount of gasoline outboards of similar performance.

For the past 2 years both Yanmar and Neander have been trialing the pre-series production diesel outboards in six European countries, with some remarkable results.

With support from the Norrkust Marina Varvs AB in Båtskärsnä (near Luleå in Sweden), the Dtorque was tested at temperatures of minus 15 degrees Celsius at the Ymer icebreaker. In a port area, which had been freed from ice for the tests, the engine ran perfectly in all speed and load ranges, and started and idled so reliably at these icy temperatures that the Swedish coast guard directly expressed interest in the technology.
Yanmar

With support from the Norrkust Marina Varvs AB in Båtskärsnä (near Luleå in Sweden), the Dtorque was tested at temperatures of minus 15 degrees Celsius at the Ymer icebreaker.In a port area, which had been freed from ice for the tests, the engine ran perfectly in all speed and load ranges, and started and idled so reliably at these icy temperatures that the Swedish coast guard directly expressed interest in the technology.

"We invited a wide cross-section of our customers around Europe to performance-test the outboards in differingsea states and loading conditions gathering as many opinions as possible," explained Floris Lettinga, Yanmar GlobalSales Manager.

"Our research has confirmed that this product is ideally placed for the light duty commercial market,from wind turbine servicing and fish farming to harbor and patrol duties, water taxis and superyacht charter services.We are confident that the combination of long range, low running costs, durability and low emissions delivered bythis unique diesel outboard will appeal to operators across a wide range of applications.

"With many commercial operators maintaining a single diesel fuel policy to avoid risk offire and explosion, the market potential for the Dtorque 111 is highly diverse. So far, the main option for smallworkboat propulsion has been the gasoline outboard. No longer is that true!"

Specs and features of the Yanmar Dtorque 111 twin-cylinder 50 hp turbo-diesel outboard engine
Yanmar/Neander-Motor

Source: Yanmar

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14 comments
Mattia Battistich
Great courage and commendable effort by Yanmar. However it's incorrect to state that compared to petrol engines this engine is "lighter". In fact this unit actually weighs 55-60 kg more than an equivalent power gas engine (I took the current bestselling Yamaha F40/70 hp, so 118 kg vs 175 kg), and as much as a 100 hp one. So it would be interesting to see how this extra weight on the transom will affect the overall fuel economy. Any information on SRP?
Mzungu_Mkubwa
Excellent achievement! Glad to hear that it will make inroads in the marine industry, and I hope it also comes over to the States! (There's a large market in the recreational fishing arena that ought to snap this up!) However, I'm so disappointed to hear that it was rejected in the transportation industry, though! I hope that some in the closed-minded motorcycle or automotive industry will take note once this thing takes off in the marine. Seems ideal as a hybrid (generator) option, to me!
Bob
Will the higher torque allow for larger propellers? Will the 40hp diesel match the performance of a 60hp gas outboard? What will it cost compared to an equivalent 4 stroke gas engine? I really didn't see the point of comparing fuel economy to a 90hp two stroke gas engine.
JohnMarzich
Sounds remarkable. And can only imagine what this will do to the industry as a whole in the years to come!
BlueOak
This piece reads purely like a Press Release from Yanmar. Where is the journalism?
Beautiful 3D animation. One wonders whether the forced lubrication ports being located on the inside edges of the pistons will lead to unbalanced thermal loading? (And wear.)
The performance metrics seem to be schizophrenic, sometimes against 2-stroke and other times against 4-stroke gasoline.
New tech is wonderful, but where are the prices, even if estimated?
ljaques
I'd love to see pricing on something like this. It has myriad uses in many fields. Military gensets could be 4x smaller than they now are. The video titillated me almost as much as the Turbo Encabulator video did years ago. Do watch it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLDgQg6bq7o . I think the enthusiastic Japanese Yanmar engineers and an equally enthusiastic marketing-style translator got the best of them. LOL. P.S: Yanmar, price them low/fairly and you'll sell a billion of 'em...if they are, indeed, long-lived and trouble-free.
Martin Hone
I can see the benefit of the contra-rotating cranks, but really see where they have saved weight, unless it is because they don't need a balance shaft, but the added con-rods and complicated, heavy pistons surely add weight back in. I like the low down torque which would make this a potential aircraft engine but I can't see this thing being cheap to make....
Martin Hone
Oh, and I think the reason it didn't find favour with the motorcycle crowd is - 1. ugly 2. lacking performance ( comparible to other bike engines)
T N Args
Diesel cars are on the way out because they are struggling so much with emission requirements that they need equipment that is too expensive to equip (say the manufacturers) and too needy to maintain (say buyers who are being told that they can't just use the cars for commuting because the emissions gear will fail within weeks and cost them multi-thousands to have replaced). Hence the great home of the diesel car, Europe, is witnessing a strong decline in sales, and manufacturers are saying diesel is simply the wrong solution for the future.
EcoLogical
Didn't Yanmar get the memo ... Diesels kill people ... manufacturers and consumers investing in Diesels will be left with stranded assets.