EP 9.9RL Outboard
“After the initial cost of the electric propulsion packaged… I’m really cruising for free. We’re out on the lake three to four times a week, and if we had a gas-powered boat, we might not do that.”
We bought an EP9.9 motor for our new 20-foot Sylvan potion boat in May of last year, and it has been great thus far. I did my research before choosing Elco. I look at Ray and Torqeedo, and I was just really impressed with Elco and their customer service. I spoke with Peter Houghton, and he answered all of my questions and was very helpful.
We boat on Green Lake in West Bloomfield, Michigan, which is a private, electric-only lake. I’ve had speed boats my entire life. I have a 28-foot Crownline with a big block V8 in it, so going electric was definitely something new. But the benefits are very practical.
First and foremost, my fuel cost on the electric motor is still zero! It’s close to free to operate the boat after the initial cost of the electric propulsion package. After that, I’m really cruising for free. We’re out on the lake three to four times a week, and if we had a gas-powered boat, we might not do that. Also, you don’t need to winterize the motor and get it ready for the summer to the same extent as a traditional gas motor. The maintenance is considerably less.
It’s certainly slower than my go-fast boats, but that is the point really. If we’re going out in the evening to have a glass of wine and enjoy the sunset, our objective isn’t to get back to the dock as fast as possible. It’s to enjoy the time.
Overall, I have been very pleased with the experience. I’m pleased with the performance, and I really like Elco’s price-point when compared to some of the other electric outboard offerings. Plus, the EP9.9 allowed for us to store batteries on the back of the boat in battery boxes, I didn’t have to sacrifice any storage.
I think it’s really great overall. It’s a great alternative, and I’ve been very happy with the electric motor.
EP 9.9RL Outboard
