Strategy & Finance
PROFILE | TORQEEDO
ibinews.com International Boat Industry | AUGUST–SEPTEMBER 2019 63
E
arlier this year, ’Electric Days’
took place for the second time
on Germany’s Lake Starnberg.
During the event, German motor
manufacturer Torqeedo presented its
new electric propulsion systems on the
water, installed on a dozen electrically
powered sailing yachts and motorboats,
including the brand-new Frauscher
Mirage 740. Christoph Ballin, founder
and managing director of Torqeedo,
gave Kerstin Zillmer, editor-in-chief
of float magazine, an insight into
Torqeedo following its 2017 acquisition
by Deutz, a traditional German
manufacturer of diesel and natural
gas engines.It’s been two years since Torqeedo was
bought by Deutz. What has changed?
Our shareholders are no longer financial
investors, but an industrial company.
As part of a listed company, we do
some things differently than a start-up.Compliance management and export
control, for example, take place at a
much higher level. On the other hand,
we support Deutz in offering electric
mobility for construction machinery,
material handling and agricultural
technology. To this end, we support
development projects for which we also
have additional employees.Do you still have time for Torqeedo
if you support the electrification of
agricultural machinery at Deutz?
Yes, of course! As the managing director
of a start-up company financed by
venture capital, you don’t have 100%
of the time available for operational
business. This is no different in the
new structure. In addition to my role
for Torqeedo, I am responsible for
strategy at Deutz. My colleague Ralf
Plieninger, Torqeedo’s CTO, is also
responsible for Deutz’s electrification and
hybridisation projects. Christoph
Ballin, founder and
managing director of
TorqeedoTORQEEDO CEO CHRISTOPH BALLIN TALKS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE
CHANGE ON BOATING AND THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN ELECTRIC BOATINGWORDS: KERSTIN ZILLMER“Political
processes need
time. We are
not waiting
for it”
How does Deutz support Torqeedo?
On the one hand, Deutz supports
us financially. We are still before the
break-even and continue to invest.
Torqeedo now has 200 employees.
We are continuing as before and
driving forward electric mobility in the
marine industry.
We also work together with Deutz in
sales and purchasing. For example, we
use the Deutz sales network, especially
for the professional segments. But the
greatest synergies for Torqeedo will
come as soon as Deutz launches its
electrical systems. Torqeedo can install
components for boats from electrical
systems that are installed in large
numbers in construction equipment.Is Deutz interested in marine? Or does
it say, land is land and water is water?
The latter. Deutz didn’t buy Torqeedo
because the company does something
on the water. That didn’t matter