64 AUGUST–SEPTEMBER 2019 | International Boat Industry ibinews.com
Strategy & Finance
PROFILE | TORQEEDO
for the acquisition. It’s about the
technology and our application
experience. Deutz was looking for a
company that could handle all the
components of electric mobility. A
company that – at the same time –
is not only a development service
provider, but also has operational
experience with working supply chains
and systems in the field. The joint work
of the Torqeedo-Deutz team saves
us time and money in electrification.
Deutz will play a pioneering and leading
role in electric mobility in its segments.Have you been able to use the time
since the change in ownership to
advance Torqeedo technically?
Not faster or slower than before. We
have not changed our development
projects or our product roadmap. We’ve
expanded our development department,
and the expanded team of course also
creates more opportunities.
It also remains a fact that our DNA
is to be impatient to a certain extent.
In order for climate-neutral mobility
to gain a foothold in a market, it often
requires the impetus of an external
or new supplier. Otherwise, existing
providers may not do much. We are
proud to be this trigger for the marine
industry. Converting boat segments
away from combustion engines and
towards more sustainable electric drive
systems is not only an opportunity
to expand our business. It is also
something the world urgently needs.What’s new on the technical side?
We have launched a new version of
the Torqeedo Travel engine for 2019
with direct drive without gearbox. This
makes the engine very quiet, and we
have also improved the responsiveness.
The new power battery has a third more
energy density. We've also launched a
new 100kW drive as part of our Deep
Blue range. The new engine is available
in two different forms – as a slowly
rotating model for ferries and sailboats,
and as a fast rotating motor for planing
and other motorboats.
We also have a new kayak mount for
the Ultralight models. This bracket is
very easy to mount and offers a lot of
comfort functions.What does a Chinese competitor on the
market mean for Torqeedo?
Competition stimulates business. We
believe that we have the best products.
And we are by far the largest supplier in
the world. This year we have a turnover
of more than €30m. The next largest
market player has a fraction of it. We
claim to be the 800-pound gorilla in
electric mobility. That’s what we want
to remain.For 14 years you have promoted electric
boating as the only reasonable alternative
for the future. Does Torqeedo stand for a
different philosophy of boating?
The discussion as to whether climate
change exists or whether it is man-
made is over. Of course, there are still a
few laggards who don’t want to believe
this because they don’t want to change
their behaviour. At the same time, the
evidence is more compelling and harder
to ignore every year. I think it’s only a
matter of time before the last stragglers
have to give up their resistance. If you
accept that man-made climate change
poses huge problems for mankind – read,
for example, the summary of the IPCC
report of 2018 – there is no way to avoid
climate-neutral mobility at all. And
climate-neutral mobility will in future go
electrically or later with hydrogen.Have we actually achieved enough in the
marine industry?
First of all, I am pleased that we are not
far behind the automotive industry in the
transformation of the marine industry.
That’s a success, because the gap is much
wider on many other sustainability issues.
Progress is not taking place
simultaneously in all boat segments.
There are boat applications that are more
suitable for electric mobility than others.
Sailing applications are of course more
suitable than fast motorboat applications.
We’re focusing on applications where
electric mobility can be successful today.
We look at applications where electric
mobility cannot be competitive today,
but in a few years’ time, when battery
technology has further improved, could
be. In many mainstream boat segments,
the topic is not yet reality. I would like
it to go faster, but you can only take on
what is realistic.Do you see yourself as an evangelist for
a behavioural change?
It is not Torqeedo’s job to convince
others to behave differently. I am a big
fan of individual freedom. Everyone
should choose the product they like.
Our task is to offer great climate-
neutral solutions that convince people- because they are more progressive and
future-oriented, but also because they
are simply great products.
In your opinion, is it still okay to ride a
boat with 40kt?
I expect political pressure to become
much stronger – the more compelling
the evidence grows that we need to
reduce our ecological footprint much
faster than before. And this evidence,
as I said, is growing every year. But
political processes need time. We are
not waiting for it. Until then, we are
building sustainable electric drive
systems for different segments that are
so good that users want them.
Over time there will be more
political pressure, and at the same time
the technical possibilities for electric
mobility will improve. So the future
looks very good for sustainable mobility.
At the moment we are working with
the technology available today and the
current political situation.Batteries are still the energy storage of
electric mobility. When will it be the
fuel cell?
Between 2025 and 2030, I think. We are
naturally having an eye on the topic
and are pleased with the progress,
because the drive of a fuel cell car is
also an electric motor. If we design a
fuel cell into the Deep Blue, almost all
components will remain as they are.
The effort would be manageable.Is there already a solution in sight for
fuel cells?
Nothing that is competitive today. The
technology works, but the costs are too
high. And the infrastructure is not yet
in place. We are involved in a number
of lighthouse projects. In my opinion,
we will not see a large market volume
here in the next five years. But we also
have to water the plants that take a littlelonger to become a tree. (^)