A perfect pairing: Torqeedo’s milestone 100,000th electric drive goes to Spirit Yachts.

The charging point is more than just convenient for customers. It illustrates a more significant trend in the yachting business and the world: More and more sailors, boat builders and commercial enterprises are looking at electric mobility to power their vessels into the future.

Spirit 111 makes debut 

The brand-new, 34-metre Spirit 111 is one of the largest sailing yachts with electric propulsion in maritime history. The yacht is powered by a Torqeedo Deep Blue 100i system with four 40 kWh Deep Blue batteries that can drive the boat at eight knots for up to 40 nm – emission-free.  

“The owner wanted the most environmentally friendly yacht ever built,” explains Stuart. “Torqeedo supplied, installed and integrated an electric propulsion and energy management system that helped bring that vision to life.” 

The Spirit 111 is a milestone in electric mobility on the water – and that’s why it fits that Torqeedo, the world’s largest manufacturer of electric motors for boats, has just delivered its 100,000^th motor to the Ipswich boatyard. The 111’s tender will be powered by a Torqeedo Cruise 10.0 Tiller – the last piece in the puzzle that makes the Spirit 111 energy independent. 

“Modern oceangoing yachts can now be truly CO2-neutral thanks to electric mobility,” says Dr Christoph Ballin, CEO and co-founder of Torqeedo. “Loud, smelly diesel generators are obsolete or reduced to a backup role because sailing yachts can generate power themselves using solar cells, hydrogeneration, and wind generators.”

“As you sail, you replenish any energy used and return with full batteries,” Ballin says. “Silence, plenty of energy, freedom and independence – anyone who loves spending time on the water, as I do, will recognize the sheer beauty of this idea.”

100,000^th Torqeedo electric drive

“The Spirit 111 marks a major leap forward for electric mobility on the water, and it’s only fitting that this remarkable sailing yacht is not only powered by Torqeedo, its tender will be powered by our 100,000^th electric propulsion system,” said Ballin, who noted that the German engineering company is also celebrating its 15th year of business in 2020.  

“We’ve come a long way since 2005,” said Ballin. “Our first electric outboards for small inflatables and sailboats were rated at 400 Watts of power. The Spirit 111 propulsion system delivers 100 kW (100,000 W), and even the Spirit’s tender motor has a peak output of 12 kW.”

“We now have the technology for genuinely climate-neutral travel and transport on the water,” Ballin said. “The future is now.”

About Spirit Yachts:

Established in 1993, British modern classic yacht design and build company Spirit Yachts was founded by passionate sailors Sean McMillan and Mick Newman. The pair set out to offer yacht owners a beautiful alternative to white, fibreglass, production boats and that goal remains at the core of the company’s ethos today.

From humble beginnings in the Suffolk countryside Spirit Yachts now operates from a 1,840m2 waterside facility in Ipswich with a team of more than 50 highly skilled designers, naval architects, boat builders, cabinet makers, electricians and engineers.

Over the past 27 years, Spirit Yachts has become renowned for its bespoke, hand-crafted modern classic wooden sail and power yachts, which can be seen cruising and racing all over the world.

Spirit Yachts’ in-house design team has a portfolio of custom wooden sail and power yachts ranging from 29foot day sailors to 110ft+ superyachts. Each build is tailored to the owner’s individual requirements; every yacht that leaves the yard is totally unique.

www.spirityachts.com