Electric outboards are growing in stature and acceptance. One such brand which has only recently been available in New Zealand is the EZ Outboard.
E stands for electric propulsion, Z for zero pollution. The new designs consider the installation compatibility, Teleflex remote control and exchangeable propellers, compatible with conventional gasoline outboards. The BLDC motors and controllers are optimally designed for electric outboards with motor speed up to 2800rpm matching standard propellers without speed reduction gears.
The motor controllers use sinewave technology for smooth control and are programmable via PC to set up speed limits, maximum current, lower voltage limit as you wish to meet your needs and local authority’s regulations.
EZ outboards “S” series are designed to cater to both the sports and commercial market. Optimised for power, the “S” series deliver similar performance to a two-stroke. For commercial users the huge savings in fuel and maintenance costs can pay for the motor and batteries in just a few months.
The second range of motors from EZ Outboard is the “X” Series very light in weight (20 – 24kg) and quick to set up, the propeller speeds are between 2000-2600rpm. The innovative and unique MOX9 motor developed specially for the X series is located in a fully sealed underwater pod. It drives the propeller via magnetic induction, without a shaft. Because there is no physical link between the propeller and the motor, there is no possibility of leaks, nor can it be easily damaged by a rope wrap or grounding since the lightweight propeller can stop instantly without stopping the motor.
Both series of electric propulsion outboards are equipped with patented brushless and gearless drive motors. The S20 has a static thrust of 260lb and a maximum prop speed of 2800rpm.
All EZ outboards support either tiller steering with speed control or remote speed control and steering, compatible with standard Teleflex cable steering. It can be ordered in both tiller-steer or remote steer versions and can easily be converted between the two by purchasing the other steering kit.
The S20 outboard, the biggest in the range, is ideal for lightweight, planning speed boats and can push a heavy displacement boat of up to ten tonnes along too. It has a net weight of 48 kg.
The innovative design means the same motor can be adjusted to be a short shaft or a long shaft or somewhere in between, eliminating the need to check the correct shaft length or use a jack plate and allowing the same motor to be used on multiple different boats.
The EZ Outboard range are all 48v motors and can be powered by any 48v battery pack.
Distributed in New Zealand by The New Zealand Electric Boat Co (electricboat.co.nz), the EZ outboard can be supplied with various suitable batteries. The matching EZ Outboard lithium batteries come in portable, waterproof modules weighing 16kg or 27kg each, from which you can build a battery bank of any size. Batteries are not included, so you can opt for cheap lead-acid batteries or used batteries such as recycled packs from a scrapped electric car if you’re on a budget.
The “S” series uses a standard Mercury propeller with prop speeds comparable to conventional gasoline/diesel outboards. The high-power, high-efficiency brushless DC drive motor (3KW-10.5KW) provides continuous solid thrust. The outboard is a gearless design, with no gearbox and no oil, making the design more compact, quiet, durable, maintenance-free and energy-efficient. With a sealed internal liquid cooling system, no seawater impeller is required and there’s no need to flush salt water out after use.
The EZ Outboard comes with three selectable speed modes: Sports / Cruise / Eco power, suitable for different situations. It even comes with free smartphone dashboard apps that provide detailed speed and status information in real-time via bluetooth, available in Android and iOS versions.
The EZ outboard is available now in 6hp,10hp and 20hp equivalant models. RRP for the EZ S20 is $NZ6,397 (ex gst). The X series will be available from June with 5hp and 10hp options, plus a 20hp option coming soon.
