By: Scott Way
Torqeedo has added new a lightweight and affordable option to their Travel series product line. The 2 hp Travel 603 now joins the larger 3 hp Travel 1103 at a lower cost but with several notable features.
Designed for boats up to one ton (2000 lbs/900 kg)including small sailboats, tenders, and freshwater fishing boats, the Travel 603 weighs only 34 lbs (15.5 kg) including battery and pushes 2 horsepower via a single 500 Wh lithium-ion battery. The total package comes in around $1999 USD compared to the larger Travel 1103 at $2699 USD.
Torqeedo is one of the most innovative small-size electric motor options on the market and offers four lines of outboards - Ultralight, Travel, Cruise, and Deep Blue. The Travel 603 will be the lightest option in the Travel line and will come in a standard configuration with tiller and throttle. The package comes with a plug-in charger that can go directly into a 12 or 24 volt supply on a larger boat. Solar charging is simple with an integrated solar charger built into the unit. The battery itself also hosts a USB port for charging a cell phone or camera.
The motor is a silent direct-drive short-shaft motor producing 600W of input power, or the equivalent of 2 hp, with an onboard computer with GPS-based range calculator and charger. It also boasts a magnetic killswitch, an IP67 waterproof rating, Torqeedo's proprietary 5-stage safety system, and a 2 year warranty. Available accessories include a weedless propeller, spare prop, travel bag, spare parts kit, and a remote throttle device allowing the boat to be controlled without handling the tiller.
The onboard GPS provides instant readouts including the available range and current RPMs, as well as the remaining battery charge and other pertinent data. At slow speeds users can ride for more than 5.5 hours on a single battery charge, and the battery can be quickly swapped with a full charged unit to extend operating range. Users can also download the Torqeedo TorqTrac app for Apple or Android mobile devices, smartphones, and tablets to get information relayed in real time.
In a company statement, Dr. Ralf Plieninger, Torqeedo's managing director, "Our goal in introducing the Travel 603 is to make it easier for boaters to discover the unique benefits of clean, green electric propulsion for smaller craft. There's nothing quite like the experience of gliding silently through the water with no odours or exhaust fumes."
You can see how the Torqeedo 603 handles in the video below:
