September 29, 2026

Victoria, BC-based OceansEV, Canada’s only retailer focused exclusively on electric outboard motors and lithium marine batteries, is completing its third successful year in business. This period has coincided with a marked acceleration in recreational boaters’ interest in electric propulsion.

Three years of electric-only focus

OceansEV launched as the first and only company in Canada dedicated solely to electric propulsion for boats. Based in Victoria, the company is an authorized dealer for ePropulsion and Remigo, carrying a full range of electric outboards—from compact, integrated-battery motors suited to dinghies and small tenders, up through higher-output pod and shaft-drive systems for fishing boats and sailboats. Its try-before-you-buy rental program, which puts a portion of the rental fee toward a future purchase, has become a key entry point for boaters weighing the switch from gas.

That focus has paid off in growth: OceansEV reports year-over-year sales growth of approximately 150% as it approaches its third anniversary, a pace the company attributes to several converging trends in the recreational boating market.

What’s driving the shift

Fuel costs. Gasoline prices remain volatile and, over time, add up to a significant portion of a boat’s total cost of ownership. Electric outboards eliminate fuel costs entirely and require only a few minutes of maintenance per year—no carburetor, no fuel system, no oil changes.

Simplicity and reliability. With a single moving part and no combustion system to maintain, electric outboards appeal strongly to occasional boaters

and newer entrants to the sport who want to spend less time on upkeep and more time on the water.

Environmental concerns. Boaters and waterway managers alike are increasingly weighing the ecological footprint of recreational boating. Electric motors produce zero emissions, eliminate the risk of fuel spills, and run virtually silently. This is a meaningful difference for boaters navigating shared, sensitive, or heavily used waterways.

Electric-only waterways. Perhaps the most significant driver is regulatory. Roughly 400 lakes across Canada are currently subject to Transport Canada regulations restricting motorized use to electric-only, including St. Mary Lake on Salt Spring Island, BC, where the electric-only designation dates back to 1985 and was upheld by the BC Court of Appeal. As more regional districts and municipalities study similar restrictions on other lakes, electric propulsion is moving from a lifestyle choice to, in some cases, the only legal option for boaters on certain waters.

A market in transition

OceansEV’s customer base spans small fishing boats, sailboats, dinghies and tenders—vessels where electric propulsion has already reached practical parity with gas outboards in the 1.5 to 9.9 HP-equivalent range. The company’s try-before-you-buy program has proven particularly effective with boaters who are curious about electric propulsion but hesitant to commit without firsthand experience—a hesitancy the company says is fading quickly as awareness of electric outboards’ reliability and running costs spreads.

“Three years ago, most of our conversations started with ‘is the recreational boating industry really ready for electric?’ said Eric Embacher, co-founder of OceansEV. “Now we’re fielding so many calls from people who’ve already decided the upfront cost premium is outweighed by convenience, minimal maintenance requirements and environmental benefits, and electric is the way they want to go—they just need help picking the right motor. That shift,

on top of more lakes moving to electric-only rules, tells us this isn’t a niche anymore. It’s becoming the default for a big part of recreational boating.”

About OceansEV

Based in Victoria, BC, OceansEV is Canada’s only exclusive retailer of electric outboard motors and lithium marine batteries, and the country’s first company focused solely on electric propulsion for boats. OceansEV is an authorized dealer for ePropulsion and offers a try-before-you-buy rental program for boaters exploring electric propulsion. Learn more at https://oceansev.com.