48 V propulsion batteries: Victron vs Torqeedo vs ePropulsion

Battery choice is usually decided by the motor: Torqeedo and ePropulsion sell batteries that talk to their own drives, while Victron's modules need a Victron BMS and work with any motor.

Module-level figures from each maker are below. A propulsion bank is several modules, so check both the energy you need and the current one module can deliver.

Manufacturer figures, checked 22 October 2026Sources & disclosure

What fits your boat?

System voltage

Victron Lithium NGWorks in a 48 V system
Victron Lithium SmartWorks in a 48 V system
Torqeedo Power 48-5000Works in a 48 V system
ePropulsion E100Works in a 48 V system
ePropulsion E163Works in a 48 V system

Don't know your figures? Size your boat in the configurator — it works out power, voltage, pack size and phase current from your hull and target speed.

Side by side

	Victron Lithium NG	Victron Lithium Smart	Torqeedo Power 48-5000	ePropulsion E100	ePropulsion E163
Chemistry	LiFePO₄	LiFePO₄	LMO-NMC	LiFePO₄	LiFePO₄
Module voltage	12.8, 25.6, 51.2 V	12.8, 25.6 V	44.4 V	51.2 V	51.2 V
Energy per module	1.28–7.68 kWh	0.64–5.12 kWh	5.275 kWh	5.12 kWh	8.345 kWh
Max continuous discharge	100–300 A (1C)	100–400 A	200 A	150 A	150 A
Weight per module	9–52 kg	7–39 kg	36.5 kg	48.5 kg	76 kg
Protection	IP65	IP22	IP67 (1 m, 30 min)	Not stated	Not stated
BMS	External, required (Lynx Smart BMS NG and others)	External, required (e.g. Lynx Smart BMS)	Integrated; CAN (TorqLink)	Integrated; shares data with ePropulsion motors	Integrated; shares data with ePropulsion motors
Bank limits	Up to 50 modules (25 at 51.2 V); up to 384 kWh per BMS	Up to 20 modules; 102 kWh per BMS	One, or two in parallel (1S1P / 1S2P)	Up to 16 in parallel; 2 in series for 96 V	Up to 16 in parallel; no series

Scroll sideways on a phone. “Not stated” means the manufacturer's page doesn't give the figure.

Which one for which boat

Big 48 V bank, any motor

Victron Lithium NG

Up to 384 kWh per BMS, IP65 modules, and Victron monitoring.

Torqeedo Cruise owners

Torqeedo Power 48-5000

Talks to the Cruise over TorqLink; IP67.

96 V ePropulsion system

ePropulsion E100

The only module here that runs two in series for 96 V.

The products

Victron

Lithium NG

LiFePO₄ · 12.8 / 25.6 / 51.2 V modules · Lynx Smart BMS NG

Good for

Large or growing 12–48 V banks where you want Victron monitoring and DVCC control of chargers.

Check before buying

The BMS is a separate purchase, and the family stops at the 48 V class.

Manufacturer page

Source: Victron — Lithium NG datasheet

Victron

Lithium Smart

LiFePO₄ · 12.8 / 25.6 V modules · external BMS

Good for

Existing Victron Smart installations and smaller banks in a dry, protected space.

Check before buying

IP22 is drip protection only, and 48 V needs four 12.8 V or two 25.6 V modules in series.

Manufacturer page

Source: Victron — Lithium Smart datasheet

Torqeedo

Power 48-5000

NMC · 44.4 V · 5.3 kWh · TorqLink

Good for

Torqeedo Cruise systems — the battery and motor share data over TorqLink.

Check before buying

NMC rather than LiFePO₄, and Torqeedo lists one or two per system, which caps the bank at about 10.5 kWh.

Manufacturer page

Source: Torqeedo — Power 48-5000

ePropulsion

E100

LiFePO₄ · 51.2 V · 5.12 kWh · 48 V or 96 V

Good for

ePropulsion systems, including the 96 V I-10 via two in series.

Check before buying

150 A per module, so high-current 48 V drives need several in parallel.

Manufacturer page

Source: ePropulsion — E-Series batteries

ePropulsion

E163

LiFePO₄ · 51.2 V · 8.3 kWh

Good for

Larger 48 V ePropulsion banks with fewer, bigger modules.

Check before buying

Parallel only — not for 96 V — and 76 kg per module needs a strong mounting.

Manufacturer page

Source: ePropulsion — E-Series batteries

Reading the numbers

Energy and current are per module. Bank energy adds up across all modules; usable current adds up across parallel strings.
Chemistry matters for safety design and cycle life: LiFePO₄ (Victron, ePropulsion) and LMO-NMC (Torqeedo) have different thermal behaviour and charge voltages.

Questions

Common questions

How many batteries do I need for an electric boat?+

Divide the bank energy you need by one module's energy, then check the current: the total continuous current of your parallel strings must cover the motor's DC current. The configurator gives you both the kWh and the DC current for your boat.

Can I use Victron batteries with an Oceanvolt or ePropulsion motor?+

Victron's Lithium NG and Smart batteries work through a Victron BMS that controls chargers and loads; they are not tied to one motor brand. Torqeedo's and ePropulsion's batteries are designed to exchange data with their own motors, so check compatibility with the motor maker before mixing brands.

Do these batteries work at 96 V?+

Of the batteries here, only ePropulsion's E100 is listed for 96 V (two in series). Victron's NG and Smart families stop at 48 V systems, and Torqeedo's Power 48-5000 is a 44.4 V battery.

Background reading

Victron Lithium NG batteries and the Lynx Smart BMS NG: system design, parallel BMSes, and reading the dataRead guide Battery bank capacity and multi-bank wiring: Ah, kWh, series, parallelRead guide LiFePO₄ batteries for electric boats: the complete guideRead guide

Sources & disclosure

Figures checked on 22 October 2026 against these manufacturer documents. Makers change specifications; confirm against the current datasheet before you buy.

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