June 26, 2023

Torqeedo GmbH, the global market leader for marine electric drives, has announced a new battery option for its Deep Blue series of powerful electric drives: Deep Blue Battery 80. The new battery leverages lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry and delivers 80 kWh of energy storage, twice the capacity of the previous generation of Deep Blue batteries. The new battery was unveiled at the Electric & Hybrid Marine World Expo in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

“The new Deep Blue Battery 80 doubles the range and runtime for Deep Blue systems. It’s a game-changer for electric mobility on the water,” said Fabian Bez, Torqeedo’s CEO. “This new battery marks one important step in our new strategy to make Torqeedo even more customer-centric by providing optimized products for specific market segments.”

The new battery’s state-of-the-art cell-to-pack architecture is an advanced approach to battery assembly in which individual battery cells are directly integrated into a pack without the need for intermediate modules or components. This advanced construction offsets the lower energy density of LFP batteries and enables a more compact footprint that is easier to install in many boats.

The high volumetric energy density (272 Wh/L) is particularly important for larger, heavier displacement vessels like cruising yachts and commercial vessels. On average, a passenger ferry emits the same pollution as approximately 40 diesel buses, so electrification of these vessels is a high priority for many cities. The new Deep Blue Battery 80 is backed by an up to ten-year capacity warranty for both recreational and commercial use.

“In the past, lithium iron phosphate batteries just took up too much room but they have come a long way over the past couple of years,” said Bez. “LiNMC batteries, which we also use throughout our product portfolio, are still the best choice for many on-water applications due to their extremely high energy density. But, LFP batteries have excellent longevity and safety and are made with abundant raw materials which avoids the high cost, ethical and environmental concerns, and sourcing instability of critical metals in today’s fast-moving markets. LFP is now even being used in electric cars, including standard-range Teslas. It was time to offer our Deep Blue customers a choice.”