The range starts with three models: the SDe7 kW, the SDe10 kW and the SDe15 kW. They are designed as an emission-free alternative to the 2YM15, 3YM20 and 3YM30 two- and three-cylinder diesel units, which are produced in their thousands and deliver between 14 and 29 hp.
The market offers a large number of marinised electric motors in this range. However, the Yanmar drives are designed in such a way that they can be used as a "plug-and-play" replacement for older diesel engines. They fit on the existing engine foundations and in the existing Saildrive wells, so they can be installed by the shipyards as an option on new builds and also make the transition easier for used boat owners. This was confirmed by German importer Robert Marx to our sister magazine YACHT.
The switch to the electric motor is thus minimally invasive: diesel out, fuel tank out, electric drive and battery bank in - done! Yanmar promises to provide owners with "a seamless transition to electric drive by utilising an uncomplicated installation platform".
Maintenance via Yanmar's worldwide service network
The SDe series will be developed and built to the same high technical standards as the combustion engines. For example, the Saildrive has a double sleeve as usual. If the lower seal leaks due to ageing, for example, an alarm sounds. However, the drive can still be used.
However, there is another decisive advantage that no manufacturer of electric motors for boating has offered to date: The new drives can be serviced and, if necessary, repaired by the existing global service network. And this is much more closely meshed than that of the new electric providers. These are still being established and leave large gaps.
Yanmar will be presenting the innovation in Cannes both on land (Palais 118) and on the water. The demo boat with an SDe10 on board is called "Hanasaka" - a term that describes the Japanese company's philosophy of pushing boundaries to create new approaches and possibilities for the future.
Floris Lettinga, Director Sales and Marketing at Yanmar Marine International, says: "We are all on a sustainability journey together, and with the E-Sail Drive solution we want to inspire boaters to join us and reduce our environmental impact step by step."
Two years ago, Dutch manufacturer Vetus, which is part of the Yanmar Group, launched its modular E-Line and E-Pod boat drives, which are available in three power levels between 5 and 10 kW continuous output. Electric pod drives in this power class are installed on Dutch sloops, for example.
