Marine technology companies and brands continue to advance in the area of systems integration, combining features and functionalities in ways that are intended to make boating easier and safer. In just the past few weeks, Raymarine and Garmin—two of the biggest players in the marine electronics space—announced new developments around this type of integration.

Raymarine teamed up with ePropulsion to let boaters display their electric-motor engine data directly on Raymarine Axiom displays, without the need for additional gateways or add-on interface boxes. This blending of systems was accomplished by combining NMEA 2000 standards for electric engines with Raymarine’s LightHouse 4.6 operating system that supports electric motor PGN messages.

The Axiom engine dashboard now allows boaters to see the ePropulsion motor’s battery level, speed, gear and estimated range. A dynamic range ring overlays on the chartplotter display, helping boaters to visualize current cruising range and optimize energy consumption. 

“It has been incredible working alongside one of the most innovative electric engine manufacturers to bring industry-first functionality to a previously under-represented class of boater,” Grégoire Outters, general manager at Raymarine, stated in a press release. “We’re confident that those who’ve adopted electric propulsion will appreciate the forward thinking of ePropulsion and Raymarine.”

Meanwhile, Garmin used its April 2024 software release to add support for the FLIR Maritime Thermal Monitoring System.

Supported features now include live display of the video feed from the FLIR camera system; audible alarms and visual alerts on the Garmin chartplotter; thermal, visible and MSX thermal/visible blending; thermal color palette selection; and custom camera naming.

The FLIR Maritime Thermal Monitoring System can monitor machinery and equipment, identifying temperature anomalies in equipment such as gas and diesel engines, generators, bearings and electrical panels. The system can give boaters an early warning about problems that can lead to equipment failure.

FLIR’s system can be programmed to provide alerts based on high-, low- or delta-temperature factors.

“Garmin’s integration with this system allows users to deploy this solution seamlessly, without needing a separate display taking up valuable helm station real estate,” said Outters, who also serves as general manager at Teledyne FLIR Maritime. “The ease of installation and use, combined with the customizability of the system allows users to tailor it to their specific needs or mission.”

Where to learn more about Raymarine and ePropulsion: go to raymarine.com or epropulsion.com

Where to learn more about Garmin and FLIR: visit garmin.com and flir.com

The post Systems Integrations Abound appeared first on Yachting.

Engineering efforts to electrify boat-propulsion systems took a sizable step in late November when ePropulsion announced an X Series of outboard engines.

The X Series includes the X12, X20 and X40, all of which are part of what company CEO Danny Tao calls “an intelligent and integrated platform” that boaters and boatbuilders can use to achieve a quieter, cleaner boating experience.

This series of engines is far from the first one that ePropulsion has produced since the company was founded in 2012. Its product range includes inboard and outboard electric motors, along with a pod-drive motor and a motor for standup paddleboards.

But the X Series is the most powerful version of an electric outboard that ePropulsion has produced to date, with its Spirit and Navy Evo models maxing out at 6 kW (equivalent to about 8 horsepower). Tom Watson, president of ePropulsion USA, said the X Series provides “incredible power.” The motors have a reported total powertrain efficiency of 88.2%. The X12 has 12-kW power, while the X20 generates 20 kW of power and the X40 delivers 40 kW of power (equivalent to almost 54 horsepower).

The research and development team at ePropulsion created an algorithm for X Series propellers, using more than 20 metrics to optimize hydrodynamic performance. The X Series also has frequency resonance isolation and vibration dampening technology, which should mean less vibration than aboard boats with comparable, traditional outboard engines.

According to ePropulsion, the X Series models also can weigh 36 percent less than traditional motors. The design places electric steering, power trim/tilt, an electric control unit and the controller within a single assembly, simplifying installation and minimizing intrusions into onboard space.

Also part of the X Series is ePropulsion’s Smart System Architecture, or eSSA. It is designed to allow for simple system configuration while supporting the integration of renewable energy systems.

And, speaking of evolving technology, the X Series has a digital helm and smart throttles that provide instantaneous feedback. The team at ePropulsion says this setup “opens the door to advanced driving assistance systems that improve safety and redefine aquatic navigation.” Features include position hold, heading hold and 360 motions to make maneuvering easier for skippers at the helm.

The ePropulsion Connectivity Service lets boaters access real-time boat and system status with monitoring, reporting and tracking.

How long will the X40 hold up? It’s built to the IP67 waterproof standard with projections of a 5,000-hour minimum service life, according to ePropulsion.

Take the next step: head over to epropulsion.com

The post A More Powerful Electric Outboard appeared first on Yachting.

New Jersey-based ePropulsion has launched several new E-Series lithium-iron-phosphate batteries.

The E60 and E163 will supplement the existing E80 and E175 batteries in the range, delivering up to 3,000 charging cycles for users.

These batteries, compared to lead-acid batteries, reportedly have three times as much energy density with 70 percent less weight. The company says they’re ideal for smaller boats with limited interior stowage.

“While capacity is an obvious focus of user-oriented innovation, making batteries easier to use is also vital to promoting adoption of electric propulsion,” Danny Tao, CEO of ePropulsion, stated in a press release. “ePropulsion electric outboard engines combined with the new batteries are the perfect solution for boaters looking to embrace quiet, clean and environmentally conscious propulsion.”

Do ePropulsion E-Series batteries work with ePropulsion electric motors? Yes. They’re designed to optimize those motors’ performance.

Take the next step: go to epropulsion.com

The post New E-Series Batteries appeared first on Yachting.