The Epropulsion Spirit PLUS
The Epropulsion Spirit is a relatively new design in this class of outboard, with similar performance, and (arguably) similar looks to its Torqeedo rivals, but some important technology differences.
 
What used to be the most significant difference has gone, as since 2021 Torqeedo discontinued the 1003 in favour of the 1103. Both the Epropulsion Spirit PLUS and the Torqeedo 1103 have direct drive brushless DC motors - quieter and more robust than the old Torqeedo 1003’s fast-spinning motor with gearbox. 
 
So the main differences now are:
- At 1276Wh, the Spirit’s battery has about 40% more capacity than the Torqeedo 1103 battery (916Wh)
- The Spirit battery floats (Torqeedo 916Wh one doesn’t)
- The Spirit tiller folds in line with the shaft, rather than being removable. This means the Spirit has one less cable to connect, but the 1103 is slightly more compact when dismantled.
- The Spirit has battery status info on the tiller, but not Torqeedo’s GPS speed and range info
- The Spirit batteries charge faster than the Torqeedo batteries, whether you’re comparing the standard mains chargers or the optional 12V DC chargers. The Spirit charges much faster still with Epropulsion’s optional fast charger.
 
Epropulsion Spirit PLUS Range & Run Time
The Epropulsion Spirit PLUS is supplied with a 1276 Wh (Watt hour) rechargeable lithium battery, housed in a floating case. If the motor is run flat out, the battery will last for an hour and a quarter, and about two and a half hours at half power. Half power seems to be the “sweet spot” compromise between power and speed, as on most boats it’s only about 10% slower than full power, whilst nearly doubling the range.
 
For a typical dinghy with a couple of adults on board, half power should equate to around 5 knots, with a range of 12-15 nautical miles. If you’re willing to slow down a bit more – boy and girl racers note! – the range will increase again, significantly. As with all boats/motors, the relationship between speed and power needed to achieve that speed is not proportional, it’s exponential. That last extra half knot of speed is very costly in energy consumption. On full power you would “only” get 6-7 nautical miles, but that’s still a long way to go in a dinghy.
 
In “real world use” most people find that one Spirit battery lasts them far, far longer than they were expecting. If you’re happy to potter along at 4 knots (about 7.5kmph, a very fast walk) the range should be more like 20-25 nautical miles.
 
If you’re a yachtsman then you’ll probably find that a fully charged battery will last you a whole weekend’s use and more, so most of the time you won’t even have to consider how to recharge it on board.
 
We cannot over-emphasise that these are estimates and depend on many variables including the boat, the load, the wind and the current. (That is true of any range estimate for any motor, of any type.)
 
Charging the Epropulsion Spirit PLUS – Mains & 12V DC
The Epropulsion Spirit is supplied with a 170W AC mains charger as standard. That means it will fully re-charge a flat battery, 1276Wh capacity, in about 7 hours, quite a lot faster than the Torqeedo despite the fact it also has 40% more capacity.
 
The other Spirit charging option is the 12V DC lead, to plug into your car, motorhome or yacht batteries. This is more expensive than Torqeedo’s option but it does quite a lot more… it’s twice as fast (about 10hrs from flat), and will accept (and then convert) almost anything you throw at it, including direct connection to solar panels etc.
 
Epropulsion Spirit PLUS Portability/Storage
On the Epropulsion Spirit the battery is removable and the tiller folds down in line with the shaft.
 
Fully-assembled, the total weight is 19.2kg, slightly more than the Torqeedo 1103. With battery removed – weighing 8.8kg – what’s left, ie the irreducible weight of the motor/shaft/tiller assembly, is 10.4kg. This is important as it's what you have to hand up and down (battery can be installed separately), and a bit less than the 1103.
 
Because the Spirit’s tiller is foldable rather than removable (Torqeedo) the storage size is slightly more but the assembly process is slightly quicker – only one cable to connect rather than two. Also the Epropulsion battery has its latch fixing system integral with the handle, rather than relying on a removable (and occasionally lost) plastic pin (Torqeedo).
 
You can store a Spirit almost anywhere, partly because with battery removed it’s relatively compact, and perhaps more significantly because it’s electric so there’s no oil to leak out or petrol to smell.
 
Epropulsion Spirit PLUS Accessories/Options
The following accessories/options/spares are available for the Epropulsion Spirit:

- Bag Set. Bespoke-tailored, padded bags for battery and motor, with useful pockets for the smaller components. Please note if you'd like a bag set we currently (June 2023) offer the Epropulsion Spirit PLUS with a bag set for £1875 on our sister website, see https://nestawayboats.com/shop/epropulsion-spirit-plus-1kw-electric-outboard/

- DC Charging Lead. So that you can charge direct from a 12 or 24V DC system. (A mains charger is included as standard)

- Spare Battery. 1276Wh.

- Spare Propeller. Not usually needed unless you damage the original, but some owners like to keep one “just in case”.
In Summary
The Epropulsion Spirit PLUS is a fantastic piece of kit, and having used one ourselves, quite extensively, it’s difficult to imagine going back to a small petrol outboard. It compares very well with the market-leading Torqeedo 1103 motor; there are advantages and disadvantages for both.
 
We’d say it’s very close between the Epropulsion Spirit and the Torqeedo 1103, a classic case of “six of one, half a dozen of the other”. The Spirit has price, battery capacity and slight handling weight advantages, but Torqeedo is a better-known brand and has a wider dealer network.