Electric launch
Repower sizing guide

Small electric launch / day boat

Light displacement under 1.5 t, short days, simple 48 V system.

Start sizing this boatPre-filled with realistic defaults
Fits boats like
Boston Whaler 130Cornish Crabber 17Stur-Dee Cat 14Drascombe LuggerWayfarer dinghyDevlin Candlefish 13Duffy 18 electric launch

Not an exact match? The wizard adjusts to your real numbers — these are reference hulls for the typical sizing.

5–8 kW
Continuous power
5–10 kWh
Battery pack
100–160 A @ 48 V
DC current
15–25 nm
Cruise range
What this replaces — vs a 13 hp diesel
At 50 h motored per season (typical cruiser). Slider on the full summary lets you adjust.
Diesel displaced
74 L
per season
CO₂ avoided
198 kg
per season
Quieter
−23 dB
52 vs 75 dB(A)

What this segment looks like

Why a electric launch is a sensible repower target

Light launches and day boats under 25 ft don't need much power. With 1–1.5 tonnes of displacement and short outings, a 5–8 kW motor and a 5–8 kWh pack delivers 4–5 hours of cruising at 5 kn — and charges off a single overnight standard outlet.

  • 48 V is more than enough — no need for the cost or complexity of higher voltage.
  • Standard 16 A AC charging refills overnight, no special shore connection.
  • Outboard conversions (e.g. ePropulsion, Torqeedo Cruise) are the fastest path.
  • Check displacement carefully — many 'small' launches are heavier than they look.
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Frequently asked questions

Electric launch — common questions

Quick answers to what most owners ask before starting a repower.

How many kW for a small electric launch?+
5–8 kW continuous covers most launches and day boats under 25 ft and 1.5 t displacement. That's enough for 5 kn cruise with reasonable reserve for current.
How long can I cruise on a 6 kWh pack?+
Roughly 4–5 hours at 5 kn under continuous load, accounting for 80% depth of discharge. Most day-boat outings sit comfortably inside that envelope.
Outboard or inboard for an electric launch?+
Outboard conversions (Torqeedo Cruise, ePropulsion Spirit/Navy) are the fastest path — you swap the gas outboard 1-for-1. Inboard makes sense if the boat already has a shaft or saildrive setup you want to reuse.
Can I charge from a regular 16 A AC outlet?+
Yes. A 2 kW shore charger fully refills a 6–8 kWh pack overnight from a standard residential or marina outlet, no special wiring needed.
What does a small electric launch cost?+
All-in budgets typically run €3k–8k for outboard conversions and €6k–12k for inboard, depending on battery capacity and whether the install is DIY.
Other segments

Different boat?

30 ft sailboat35 ft sailboat40 ft sailboat40 ft catamaranTrawler yacht

Size your electric launch now

Wizard pre-filled with realistic defaults for this segment. Free to run; PDF from €29.

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