Yes, the new ePropulsion Spirit 2 outboard can plane a lightweight dinghy with one adult aboard, reaching a top speed of 12.1 mph in its 3 kW boost mode on an 11-foot Further Customs Laguna 330. Even at its 2 kW (5 hp equivalent) continuous output, the ePropulsion Spirit 2.0 hits 7.4 mph, a major leap over the 5.1 mph top speed of the 1 kW ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus, while solving the biggest pain points of the original model with a cable-free 1,539 Wh battery, a separate 5.3 lb quick-release transom bracket, and a 35° shallow-water tilt angle.
Intro: First Look at the ePropulsion Spirit 2
EMO Electric received one of the first two pre-production ePropulsion Spirit 2 outboard units in North America for unboxing and on-the-water testing. Unlike standard portable electric outboards that max out at 1 kW (roughly 3 hp), the Spirit 2 delivers 2 kW continuous power (5 hp equivalent) and a 3 kW boost mode (6hp equivalent). That extra power is designed to get a lightweight dinghy up on the plane with one person aboard and push heavier boats through wind, waves, and current without making compromises on speed.
What's in the Box & Pre-Order Availability
Because the unit tested in the video is a pre-production model, a few minor software details (such as live range calculation on the display and initial remote throttle features) are being finalized for production. Pre-orders are open now at EMO Electric, with initial US deliveries expected around June 2026. The first US stocking batch is limited to roughly 200 motors, and waiting until summer could mean delays until fall.
Inside the box, the Spirit 2 package includes:
● The Spirit 2 Motor Shaft: Available in Extra Short (20.7"), Short (24.6"), and Long (29.5") for the tiller version, or Short and Long for the remote version.
● Removable Transom Bracket: Modeled after the ePropulsion eLite bracket, it stays clamped to your dinghy or sailboat motor mount so you can pop the motor shaft on and off with a side release button instead of undoing transom bolts every trip.
● Spirit Battery Ultra: A redesigned, compact 1,539 Wh lithium-ion NMC battery that connects directly to the motor without cables.
● Standard AC Charger, Manuals & Extras: Includes the user manual, quick-start guide, two magnetic kill switches (upgraded with stronger magnets and wristbands), and an extra trim pin.
For sailors with 2,000 to 4,000 lb boats where a 1 kW / 3 hp motor struggles against wind and current, or jon boat and dinghy owners tired of losing speed in chop, the jump from 1 kW to 2 kW continuous (and 3 kW boost) bridges the gap without requiring a heavy, permanently wired 3 kW to 6 kW system.
Motor Price & Tiller vs. Remote Versions
The ePropulsion Spirit 2 retails for $4,199, which includes the motor shaft, transom bracket, Spirit Battery Ultra, and standard charger.
Both the tiller and remote versions (with the top mount throttle) share the same $4,199 retail price. The remote version swaps the tiller arm for steering linkage mounts and ships with ePropulsion's Spirit Evo top-mount throttle or Evo side mount remote control. The side mount control is slightly more expensive.
Spirit Battery Ultra: More Capacity & No More Cables
The new Spirit Battery Ultra introduces major hardware upgrades over the older Spirit 1.0 Plus battery (Spirit Battery Plus):
● 20% More Capacity: Rated at 1,539 Wh compared to 1,276 Wh on the Spirit 1.0 Plus.
● NMC Chemistry & Compact Form Factor: Uses Lithium-ion NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) chemistry to keep weight down to 23 lbs, only 4 lbs heavier than the 1.0 Plus battery in a tighter, easier-to-carry casing.
● 45W USB-C PD Output: Charges phones, VHF radios, GPS units, or fish finders directly from the motor battery (and doubles as the diagnostic port for dealer software updates).
● Built-In LED Battery Meter: Pressing a button on the battery lights up four LEDs showing state of charge in 25% increments without plugging it into the motor.
● Cable-Free Connection: Eliminates the external power cable and small twist-lock pins that were susceptible to breaking or corroding on the epropulsion spirit 1.0 plus. The only minor downside is a loose protective cap over the bottom battery contacts that could be easy to misplace if you aren't careful.
● Third-Party & E-Series Compatibility: Like earlier Spirit ePropulsion motors, the Spirit 2 can run on ePropulsion E-Series batteries or third-party 48V batteries via an optional adapter cable, or mount remotely in the boat using an extension cable.
● Four Charging Options: The included standard AC charger (~200W) charges from 0% to 100% in 8 hours. An optional fast AC charger cuts charge time to 2 hours, and 12V DC and solar chargers (up to 400W input) are also available.
One Trade-Off: It Does Not Float. Due to the higher energy density and 23 lb weight in a more compact shell, the Spirit Battery Ultra does not float like the Spirit Battery Plus. However, the slide-and-click cable-free mount makes it much harder to drop overboard while leaning over a transom, and you can easily clip a safety lanyard to the handle if you're worried.
Component Weights
While the complete ePropulsion Spirit 2.0 setup is slightly heavier than a 1 kW outboard, its modular three-piece design ensures you never have to lift more than 23.6 lbs at once:
● Short Shaft Motor Only: 22.9 lbs (~23 lbs). The Extra Short is 22.5 lbs and the Long shaft is 23.6 lbs (roughly a 0.5 lb difference between sizes).
● Spirit Battery Ultra: 23 lbs.
● Removable Transom Bracket: 5.3 lbs (~5 lbs).
● Total Installed Weight (Short Shaft): 51.2 lbs on the transom (46 lbs without the bracket).
Step-by-Step Dinghy Installation
Installing the Spirit 2 on our 11-footFurther Customs Laguna 330 catamaran dinghy takes less than a minute:
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Mount the Transom Bracket (5.3 lbs): Clamp it centered on the transom. You can leave it mounted semi-permanently, and sailboat owners can buy a second bracket for their stern rail to transfer the motor shaft seamlessly from tender to mother ship.
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Drop in the Motor Shaft (22.9 lbs): Pull the tiller knob to fold the tiller straight up to 0° (vertical), slide the shaft into the bracket until it clicks, and attach a safety line through the built-in eyelet on the shaft if desired.
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Click on the Battery (23 lbs): Push the locking lever down to open the spring-loaded contact cover, exposing the heavy-duty, corrosion-resistant contact pins. Slide the battery straight down onto the top of the motor, and pull the lever up until it clicks.
Extendable & Multi-Position Tiller
The redesigned tiller addresses two major requests from dinghy and sailboat owners: weight distribution and cockpit clearance.
● Extendable Handle: Pressing a release button underneath lets you extend the tiller handle by about 4-5 inches. Shifting your body weight forward is essential for getting a short dinghy over the bow wave and onto the plane.
● Locking Vertical Angles: By pulling and twisting the blue side tab, the tiller can either move freely or lock into place at -90° (folded straight down), 0° (level), 45°, or 80°. Sailors can fold it out of the way of a main sheet, and dinghy passengers can lock it at an angle to free up seating space right next to the motor. It is also strong enough to act as a carry handle during transport.
Tilt, Trim & Anti-Grounding Mode
Borrowed and refined from the eLite, the new bracket introduces three practical operating positions:
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Locked Down (Deep Water / Reverse): Keeps the motor locked down so prop thrust doesn't kick the motor up when shifting into reverse.
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Anti-Grounding Mode: Lifting the flat bar and pushing back the black tab unlocks the shaft so it pops up automatically if you strike a sandbar or beach. (Note: Do not use reverse in anti-grounding mode, or the motor will kick up.)
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35° Shallow-Water Tilt Angle: Lifting the release tab and raising the motor locks it at 35°, raising the propeller to clear shoals while motoring slowly into a beach.
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70° & 90° Out-of-Water Tilt: Raising the motor further locks it at 70° (which clears the water on the Laguna 330). For boats with angled transoms or long shafts, folding the tiller up and pushing the tab forward lets you tilt the motor to a full 90° horizontal position so the pylon stays completely dry. You can also leverage the tiller handle to tilt the motor up and down without reaching over the back of the battery.
Pin-Free Steering Lock & Smoother Friction
On the older Spirit 1.0 Plus, locking the steering required removing the battery and inserting a small plastic pin an impractical chore when transitioning from open water into a tight marina slip.
The ePropulsion Spirit 2 outboard adds slightly firmer, smoother steering friction so the motor tracks straight at low speeds if you take your hand off the tiller. Better yet, a simple sliding black tab underneath the bracket locks the motor dead-center the moment you straighten the tiller. This prevents the top-heavy battery from flopping the motor sideways when tilted out of the water and lets sailors steer with their boat's rudder, then unlock the outboard in seconds for tight dockside pivot turns.
On the Water: Speed, Range &Planing Tests
Testing was conducted on an 11-foot Further Customs Laguna 330 catamaran-style inflatable dinghy in calm conditions with one adult aboard:
● Up to 1,000W (1 kW): Boat speeds mirror standard 1 kW / 3 hp electric outboards (4.0 mph at 250W, 4.6 mph at 500W, and 5.1 mph at 1,000W), but the larger 1,539 Wh battery delivers ~20% longer runtime and range (24.8 miles at 250W and 7.8 miles at 1,000W).
● Full Continuous Power (2,000W / 2 kW): Speed jumps to 7.4 mph, a huge 2.3 mph improvement over the 5.1 mph ceiling of 1 kW motors, with a 46-minute runtime and 5.6-mile range.
● Boost Mode (2,500W & 3,000W) — IT PLANES: With one adult shifting weight forward using the extended tiller, the Spirit 2 pushed the Laguna 330 onto the plane at both 2.5 kW (10.4 mph) and 3.0 kW (12.1 mph).
● Two-Adult Test: With two adults aboard the 11-foot Laguna, the boat reached 6.5 to 7.0 mph in 3 kW boost mode and 5.5+ mph at 2 kW continuous. While noticeably faster than a Spirit 1.0 Plus, two adults were too much weight to plane the 11-foot hull.
Comparison Across Hull Types
Speed, range, and runtime always depend on total displacement (passengers and gear), hull shape, and wind or current. Testing data across a traditional Jon boat, a Sea Eagle FishSkiff, and the catamaran-style Laguna 330 confirms that flat, low-drag hulls with light loads see the largest top-end speed gains above 1.5 kW, while heavier displacement hulls benefit primarily from maintaining hull speed into headwinds and chop. If you want an estimate for your specific boat, contact EMO Electric, and we can check the ePropulsion boat database for you.
How Boost Mode Works
Pressing the M button activates Boost Mode, raising maximum power from 2 kW to 3 kW for 60 seconds (indicated by a countdown timer in the upper-left corner of the display). Once the 60-second timer beeps and drops back to 2 kW, the Laguna 330 settles off the plane, but during testing, we were able to press the M button immediately after the 60 seconds expired to jump right back into 3 kW boost and stay on the plane.
Boost Mode availability is governed by battery state of charge (SOC):
● Above 30% SOC: Full 3.0 kW boost available repeatedly.
● 20% to 30% SOC: Boost mode is capped at 2.5 kW (which still kept the solo Laguna 330 on the plane at 10.4 mph).
● Below 20% SOC: Boost mode is disabled to preserve battery capacity to get you home.
Boost mode is also temperature dependent, but in ePropulsion’s testing, they found that temperature was not a limiting factor as long as the water temperature was under about 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Upgraded Color Display & Smart Safety Settings
The new color LCD on the tiller is larger, brighter, and packed with customizable controls:
● Main Screen Views: Displays real-time speed, battery percentage, live range, and large color-coded gear indicators (F, N, and R) that pop up clearly when shifting. Pressing the middle button toggles between speed and live power output in watts.
● Display Customization: Hold the M button to get to menu settings where you can switch between Light and Dark mode, adjust screen brightness (Levels 1–3 for night boating), and toggle units between mph, knots, and km/h.
● Operating Hours & Hydrogeneration Log: Tracks total motor operating hours (great for resale value) and total energy harvested via hydrogeneration while sailing (meaningful regeneration kicks in around 5 to 6+ knots under sail).
● Lost Kill Switch Override: If your magnetic kill switch goes overboard, you can enable the Override setting in the menu to get home safely without it. As a safety precaution, override mode limits maximum power to 1,000W (50%).
● Forward & Reverse Power Limits: Holding both menu buttons lets you calibrate the tiller throttle or cap maximum power in forward and reverse independently. You can limit reverse to 200W so an accidental twist doesn't slam the boat backwards at 2,000W, or dial back forward power to conserve battery or let kids operate the dinghy safely.
Accessories Availability
Just like previous ePropulsion launches, accessories, including 12V DC chargers, solar chargers, padded carry bags, and spare propellers, typically arrive in the US slightly behind the initial batch of motors. However, the ePropulsion Spirit 2.0 will support the same full ecosystem of accessories as the ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus.
Who Should Buy the ePropulsion Spirit 2?
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Boaters Upgrading for Ease of Use Features: Even if 1 kW of power is enough for your boat, the cable-free battery mount, removable 5.3 lb transom bracket, LED battery level lights, 35° shallow-water tilt, pin-free steering lock, and power-limiting display make the Spirit 2 far easier to live with than first-generation 1 kW motors.
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Owners of Heavier Sailboats & Tenders (2,000–4,000 lbs): If your boat is slightly too heavy or catches too much wind for a 3 hp / 1 kW outboard, and you don't want the expense, weight, and external wiring of a 3 kW to 6 kW Navy system, the Spirit 2 hits the sweet spot.
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Dinghy Owners Who Want to Plane: If you have a 1 to 2-mile tender run and want a portable electric motor that can cruise on the plane at 10 to 12+ mph with one person aboard instead of puttering at 5 mph, the Spirit 2 is currently in a class of its own. In our testing, we could plane with one person on board a soft bottom dinghy in calm conditions. It is unlikely that the Spirit 2 can plane a dinghy with more than one person on board, a RIB or heavier dinghy, or most dinghies in rough conditions.
On-the-Water Speed & Range Data
| Power (W) | Speed (MPH) | Run Time | Range (Miles) |
| 250 W | 4.0 mph | 6h 09m | 24.8 mi |
| 500 W | 4.6 mph | 3h 05m | 14.2 mi |
| 750 W | 4.9 mph | 2h 03m | 10.1 mi |
| 1,000 W | 5.1 mph | 1h 32m | 7.8 mi |
| 1,500 W | 5.6 mph | 1h 02m | 5.8 mi |
| 2,000 W (Max continuous) | 7.4 mph | 46m |
5.6 mi |
| 2,500 W (Boost Mode) | 10.4 mph (Planing) | 37m | 6.4 mi |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When the remote (tillerless) version comes out, can I purchase the Spirit 2 without the Spirit Battery Ultra to use a larger battery?
Yes! There is a remote version as well as an optional adapter cable so that you can run the ePropulsion Spirit 2 outboard with third-party 48V batteries or larger ePropulsion E-Series batteries.
2. Which shaft length do you recommend for a 46 cm (18-inch) or 15-inch transom?
For a 46 cm (~18.1-inch) or 15-inch transom, we strongly recommend the Short Shaft (24.6"). Shaft length is the most critical option to choose correctly, a shaft that is too short will cause cavitation at higher speeds and reduce performance significantly. When in doubt, go longer.
To find your size, measure from the top of your transom to the waterline:
● Extra Short (20.7"): For transoms up to 14" (very small inflatables and dinghies).
● Short (24.6"): For transoms 14" to 19" (most dinghies, tenders, and some sailboats).
● Long (29.5"): For transoms over 19" (larger boats, jon boats, and most sailboats).
Real-World Testing Note:ePropulsion's factory chart on 15" transoms is overly optimistic. We tested the Extra Short (XS) Spirit 2 on two different boats with 15" transoms and experienced cavitation issues on both. If you have a 15" transom, get the Short Shaft Spirit 2.
3. How does the Spirit 2 prevent saltwater corrosion on the battery connections compared to older electric outboards?
Corrosion on the cable connections between the motor and battery is the single most common maintenance issue we see on portable electric outboards used in saltwater. On the ePropulsion Spirit 2.0, ePropulsion eliminated the battery cable completely. The battery slides directly onto a spring-loaded connection port featuring much larger, sturdier data and power pins that are easy to inspect and clean.
4. Does the separate quick-release transom bracket make the motor easier to steal?
While a quick-release bracket is slightly more vulnerable to opportunistic theft than traditional clamp screws alone, ePropulsion built a security slot directly into the Spirit 2 shaft. You can thread a heavy-duty cable lock through the motor shaft and secure it to a padlock running between the transom bracket clamp handles, giving you theft protection while still enjoying 5-second motor removal and lighter lifting weight.
5. Can I retrofit the new Spirit 2 transom bracket onto my Spirit 1.0 Plus, and did ePropulsion improve the kill switch and gear indicators?
Unfortunately, the new Spirit 2 bracket cannot be mounted onto an older ePropulsion Spirit 1.0 Plus. However, ePropulsion fixed nearly every ergonomic complaint from the 1.0 Plus on the Spirit 2:
● It adds the long-awaited 35° shallow-water tilt angle.
● The color screen flashes large, color-coded F, N, and R indicators (with Reverse highlighted in red) whenever you change throttle positions.
● The magnetic kill switch now features a stronger magnet so it won't pop off accidentally in chop, comes with a secure wristband (like the eLite), and includes a 1,000W screen override mode if you ever lose it overboard.