Software has already reshaped electric marine propulsion, says ePropulsion

Electric propulsion has evolved beyond motors and batteries towards integrated systems that coordinate propulsion, energy storage and onboard consumption. In this third instalment of Marine Industry News’ series on manufacturers becoming software makers, ePropulsion co-founder and CEO Danny Tao explains how connected propulsion, bespoke installations and the company’s eCore energy management concept reflect a wider shift towards making increasingly complex systems easier to operate.

“Perhaps the biggest misconception is that electric propulsion development is mainly about producing a more powerful motor or adding a larger battery,” says Danny Tao, co-founder and CEO of ePropulsion.

“Those advances matter, but our expansion into connected propulsion, bespoke installations and the eCore energy management concept shows how much development now concerns the interaction between systems across the vessel.”

A broader propulsion portfolio

Five years ago, ePropulsion’s Spirit and Navy Evo ranges were central to its offering. But now its portfolio also encompasses I-Series inboards, X-Series outboards, Pod Drive eSSA and bespoke propulsion systems. Plus, its recently unveiled eCore concept extends development into integrated onboard energy management, responding to increasingly complex vessel requirements.

“Software has always been fundamental to controlling electric motors and managing batteries, but its role now extends much further into communication, monitoring and coordination across the installation,” notes Tao. “Hardware development remains equally important: our eSSA-based systems bring the components together, while eCore illustrates how that approach can encompass energy generation, storage, propulsion and onboard consumption.”

This means that, compared with the company’s 2021 offering, today’s portfolio serves a much broader range of vessels and installations. Connected systems provide capabilities such as remote monitoring, trip records and access to vessel and battery information away from the helm.

Making connectivity useful

Tao says that customers increasingly expect clear, accessible information about their propulsion system, both onboard and remotely, alongside straightforward operation.

“Our approach is to judge connectivity, automation and AI by their practical value: whether they help people make informed decisions, simplify energy management or make troubleshooting easier.”

A feature should make a real task easier, provide useful information or help the system operate more effectively. “Whether we are supplying an outboard, an inboard, a pod drive or developing integrated energy management through eCore, greater technical sophistication should translate into less complexity for the person using the boat.”

Integration across the vessel

Therefore, integration is increasingly central to the brief, particularly in bespoke projects where propulsion must fit the vessel’s wider electrical architecture and operating requirements. “Across I-Series, X-Series and Pod Drive eSSA, that means considering batteries, controls and displays together; eCore extends the approach to multiple energy sources and AC and DC onboard loads.”

Over the next few years Tao is expecting to see even greater coordination between propulsion, energy storage, charging and onboard consumption, with software making that complexity easier to manage.

“eCore demonstrates that direction,” he says. “The physical equipment remains essential, but its value increasingly depends on how effectively the complete system works together for the boatbuilder and owner.”