Christoph Ballin News

The City of Suzhou in eastern China has deployed a fleet of electric workboats powered by Torqeedo motors as part of a program to clean up its canals and waterways. The ancient city of Suzhou, located in Jiangsu Province near Shanghai, is home to more than 10 million people. Often called the “Venice of the East” the 2,500 year old city is noted for its many canals, rivers, lakes, ancient stone bridges, pagodas and gardens. Suzhou Creek, which flows through the city to Shanghai, was at one time said to be the most contaminated waterway in China, filled with sewage and garbage.

Torqeedo has announced strategic agreements to integrate Sentinel Boat Monitors and WhisperPower smart power generation systems into its electric boat propulsion product offerings. The announcements were made in a press conference at the Dusseldorf International Boat Show Jan. 23. The Sentinel Boat Monitors are now fully integrated with Torqeedo’s Cruise, Travel and Ultralight electric propulsion systems. The Sentinel app allows remote monitoring of the vessel’s location and onboard systems, and provides automatic alerts of any malfunctions and alarms.

Independent engine manufacturer DEUTZ announced it has acquired Torqeedo, provider of electric drive systems for watercraft. As an independent subsidiary of DEUTZ AG, Torqeedo will continue product development under its established Torqeedo brand and with its current leadership. Founded 12 years ago in Starnberg, Germany, and supported by venture capital so far, DEUTZ said the acquisition marks a new phase in its development. “As part of DEUTZ, Torqeedo will realize substantial opportunities in the areas of industrialization, supply chain management, sales and service. We will use these to further accelerate the development of sustainable and modern mobility on the water,” said Christoph Ballin, CEO of Torqeedo.

Torqeedo said it has opened a new office in Bangkok, Thailand, to accommodate its rapid growth in Asia and the Pacific (APAC) region. The company reports an expanding focus on marine preservation, sustainable tourism, ecofishing and the electrification of commercial vessels have created a strong interest in its products by both public and private entities within the region. APAC also shows increasing investment in sustainable public transportation initiatives, a sector which continues to drive Torqeedo’s expansion into commercial markets.

The Hybrid Marine Power & Propulsion Conference being held at the RNLI College in Poole, U.K., October 6-8, will bring together an international group of experts armed with the latest knowledge that will assist the sub IMO professional sector to understand the possibilities of utilizing hybrid systems. The aim is to identify the potential for hybrid systems for specific sectors, including diesel / electric / battery for workboats, pilot boats, survey vessels, wind farm support vessels, superyacht tenders, patrol craft, military and unmanned craft.

In 2015 two significant developments are going to make many operators, owners and builders of professional vessels consider hybrid marine power. First, the new emissions laws in ports and second, there is now an incentive for high technology manufacturers to invest in developing highly efficient batteries. Hybrid is ‘here and now’ technology that is being utilized by many industries around the world. The marine industry is now recognizng the potential of utilizing hybrid power and innovative propulsion systems for vessels in the sub IMO / sub 24 meter (80 feet) professional sector.

Performance, Speed, Fuel Economy & Environmental compliance all come together to form the ultimate balancing act for engine OEM’s and their customers alike. The ‘need for speed’ has been at the heart of professional fast craft operations since powerboats first overtook their bow wave and went on the plane. However, it is a hard fact of life for many professional organizations that fuel budgets are being cut. Engine manufacturers now recognize that high performance must be balanced with fuel economy and environmental compliance.

Johnson Controls, Inc. to produce Li-ion battery packs from its Holland, Mich. plant for Torqeedo's all-electric boat motors. Torqeedo, a German-based manufacturer, will use Johnson Controls' Li-ion automotive battery packs to power its award-winning 80-Horsepower electric boat motor called DEEP BLUE. "With our leading battery expertise, we helped our customer combine two distinct technologies – the large outboard engine and electric motor -- making the Torqeedo DEEP BLUE system a real game-changer," said Holger Jetses, vice president and general manager for Johnson Controls Power Solutions' Original Equipment group, EMEA. Johnson Controls modified its Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) battery…