Slovenian e-drive innovator Remigo brought its 1,000-W electric boat drive to the North American market earlier this year and has been quickly growing out its lineup ever since. Now it launches a new flagship motor drive that puts out 50 percent more power without giving up the RemigoOne's classic blade-slim integrated packaging or easy-carry sub-30-lb (13.6-kg) weight. The RemigoOne Neo gives small e-boaters a little more oomph without any of the inconvenience of a larger, bulkier electric or gas outboard.
The RemigoOne Neo does dial up 1,500 watts of power, but the catch is that the full load is accessed via "Boost" mode for a period 60 seconds. This helps to protect the integrated 1085-Wh lithium battery's runtime while still giving boaters extra power for accelerating up to speed or battling a bout of gusting wind. After those 60 seconds, the drive returns to its normal ceiling of 1,000 watts.
Should the wind or need for extra power prove a little more persistent, boaters can hit Boost again to crank things right back up to the full 1,500 watts.
"The boost mode gives skippers an extra gear when they need it, without wasting battery on marginal gains the rest of the time,” Remigo CEO Marko Vrtovec explained it during this month's launch. "The difference between 1 kW and 1.5 kW is minimal, especially when cruising away from shore, but when you need that burst of torque and acceleration, it’s right there."
The Neo dials up to 36 kg (79 lb) of static thrust in boost mode to complement its 1,500-watt burst, dropping back down to 31 kg (68 lb) once boost mode kicks off. It's designed for a variety of small boats weighing up to 25 feet (7.6 m) and/or 1.5 tons (1,361 kg), such as dinghies and tenders. Shaft length is adjustable between 15 and 25 inches (38 to 64 cm) for fitting to different vessels.
While it gains 50 percent more available power, the Neo packs on less than 10 percent more carry weight, or 2.2 lb (1 kg). The slimline aluminum unibody housing the motor and battery pack weighs in at 28.7 lb (13 kg), while the entire package tops out at 34 lb (15.5 kg). That latter figure includes the transom mounting bracket that's designed to be left on the boat, so users are only meant to carry around the 28.7-lb package, conveniently outfitted with a tiller that folds to work as a carry handle.
The new 1,500-W peak rating doesn't have much of an impact on estimated range, but we suppose your nautical mileage will ultimately depend on how frugally you use that boost button. If using Boost throughout the trip, top speed jumps to 6.3 mph (10.2 km/h) and total available range drops to an estimated 4.2 nautical miles (7.8 km).
That's a minor difference from the 5 nautical miles (9.3 km) you can expect at the 1,000-W top speed of 5.8 mph (9.3 km/h). If you kick it down to the 2.3-mph (3.7-km/h) Eco mode, on the other hand, you can extend the journey up to roughly 30 nautical miles (55.6 km). Real-world ranges will, of course, depend on the vessel, water conditions and other factors.
Once the battery is depleted, it takes six hours to charge from a standard electrical socket with the included charging hardware or three hours with the optional fast charger. Using the optional 12-/24-V charger out in the field raises that time up between 10 and 12 hours.
Like the original RemigoOne, the 4-foot-long (125-cm) Neo features an IP67 waterproof marine-grade aluminum construction protecting all the electrical hardware inside. It's controlled via simple two-button operation or with the available remote that docks atop the tiller handle.
The RemigoOne Neo is available to order now for an MSRP of US$3,499. The fast charger can be added on for $259 and the remote control for $239.
Source: Remigo
