TORQEEDO 603 £1,499 TORQEEDO 1103 £2,019

Torqeedo was the first company to commercially produce an outboard with an integral lithium battery in 2005.

It now has a range of inboard, outboard and saildrive motors up to 100kw, with the motors above 2kw using separate battery packs. Its largest motor uses the battery pack from the BMW i3 electric car.

The earliest motors used a high-revving geared motor, which produced a characteristic whine. Following the launch of its new larger battery, Torqeedo changed to direct drive at about the same time that epropulsion arrived on the scene.

The 1103 is 1.1kw and has a removable battery and tiller/throttle. The battery locates in slots in the powerhead and can be dropped in one-handed, with the slots clearly visible from above, which is helpful in a rocking dinghy. It then hinges back and locks in place with a separate plastic pin. The tiller locates in similar slots.

The two are then connected to the motor by a power cable and a data cable, but the latter has an 8mm plug, with five tiny pins that have to be carefully lined up, then secured with a threaded plastic collar. Neither of the sockets have caps to prevent debris or water getting into them when the cables are not connected. The display on the tiller shows four lines of data at the same time, which makes them small to read (a phone app can be used for a large display). They include volts, battery capacity, range at a given speed, speed in kts, mph or km/h, and power consumption in watts. A magnetic kill-cord cuts the power circuits if you fall overboard.

The motor has four trim positions to allow for angled transoms, but the split ring securing the locking pin is very stiff and fiddly, especially when you have to adjust it hanging over the transom. A sidemounted lever allows the motor to be tilted horizontally. In normal use a catch prevents the motor kicking up in reverse, but this can be released with another sidemounted lever if you are in shallow water.

Long and short shaft versions are available, with the height of the transom to the top of the prop on the long shaft being 62cm. Clamps screws and fittings are stainless steel, making it suitable for salt water use, but an anode is an extra. It has forward and reverse but not 360º rotation.