Can You Use Third Party Batteries with ePropulsion Outboards?

Can You Use Third Party Batteries with ePropulsion Outboards?

The short answer is, it depends! You can use some compatible third party batteries with 48v ePropulsion motors, but you generally can't use third party batteries with 96v ePropulsion motors.

Which ePropulsion motors can you use third party batteries with?

You can use third party batteries with the ePropulsion Navy Evo series (pod drives and outboards) ePropulsion Spirit series, which all run on 48v. The Pod Drive ESSA, X series outboards and I series inboards run on 96v and are generally not compatible with third party batteries. Unlike the 48v systems, 96v systems but be installed by a certified technician. ePropulsion may occasionally make exceptions to this rule, but it is highly recommended to use ePropulsion batteries with the 96v systems. 

For the remainder of this article, we'll be discussing the application of third party batteries to the Spirit and Navy Evo motors. ePropulsion always recommends using their batteries. Before considering using third party batteries with the Navy 6 or another ePropulsion motor, please read some of ePropulsion's FAQ on the subject:

Can I use third-party batteries to power Navy 3.0 Evo / Navy 6.0 Evo?

• First, our original E-Series battery has the best unit price on the market, as low as $0.46 per WattHour.
• Second, the E-Series battery weighs 70% less than the lead-acid battery with equivalent usable capacity, and costs 50% in five-year use.
• Third, because of incompatible communication protocol, when powered by third-party batteries, the ePropulsion motor cannot access real-time battery status and apply the best operation strategy.
• Despite all these, if you still prefer third party lithium or lead-acid batteries. The nominal battery voltage should be 48V. The continuous discharge current should be over 62.5A for Navy 3.0 Evo and 125A for Navy 6.0 Evo.

Can I use third-party batteries to power Pod Drive 1.0 / 3.0 / 6.0 Evo?

• First, our original E-Series battery has the best unit price on the market, as low as $0.46 per WattHour.
• Second, the E-Series battery weighs 70% less than the lead-acid battery with equivalent usable capacity, and costs 50% in five-year use.
• Third, because of incompatible communication protocol, when powered by third-party batteries, the ePropulsion motor cannot access real-time battery status and apply the best operation strategy.
• Despite all these, if you still prefer third party lithium or lead-acid batteries. The nominal battery voltage should be 48V. The continuous discharge current should be over 25A for Pod Drive 1.0 Evo, 62.5A for Pod Drive 3.0 Evo and 125A for Pod Drive 6.0 Evo.

Can I power the Spirit 1.0 Plus or Spirit Evo series with an external battery?

Yes, and an external battery power cable is required.

Officially, we recommend the ePropulsion e60 or ePropulsion e163 battery to extend the range. We also recommend a cowling for looking good when you remove the original Spirit battery.

Why choose an E-Series battery over a 3rd-party option?

ePropulsion batteries are designed for maximum efficiency, performance and safety. Using 3rd-party batteries does not allow for the use of our communication cable which brings data accuracy to the gauge and ensures useful operating strategy for safety and performance.

Other reason to use an ePropulsion battery

For ePropulsion Spirit users, the Spirit Plus battery is usually an easy choice. Not only does it fit nicely on top of the shaft, but it is quite portable and floats in case you drop it in the water! From our perspective, it's only worth considering a third party battery for the Spirit 1.0 Plus or Spirit Evo if you aren't planning to mount the battery on top of the shaft or need extra range. Even then, the Spirit battery (or a second spirit battery) is probably the best choice.

For Navy Evo and Pod Drive Evo users, the considerations are a bit different, as the battery is meant to be installed in the boat permanently. This opens the door to third party batteries as the form factor and portability aspects are not as important. Even so, using an ePropulsion motor with an ePropulsion battery keeps the system entirely native. Any issues you may have will be able to be addressed by ePropulsion/an ePropulsion dealer. Using a third party battery may complicate things if any issues arise. We are also very confident that ePropulsion batteries are safe. They are high quality and made to be used in a marine environment. 

Why choose a third party battery over an ePropulsion battery?

With all of the above disclaimers in mind- and to state it clearly, we do recommend using ePropulsion batteries over third party batteries- there are reasons why customers choose to use third party batteries. These reasons typically have to do with weight and cost. Let's compare the ePropulsion e60 and e163 batteries with a few third party batteries compatible with the Navy 6.

Cost Savings

Customers who are interested in saving money may prefer to choose a third party battery over an ePropulsion E Series battery. As you can see from the chart above, LiTime and Epoch batteries both have 100Ah lithium batteries that are significantly cheaper than ePropulsion batteries; some are even a third of the price. It is important to note that the LiTime batteries are not specifically designed for marine use and are IP65 rated, not IP67 rated, which contributes to their lower price point. 

Weight Savings 

ePropulsion batteries, and most third party ePropulsion batteries are Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) and have relatively similar weight, ranging from 16.1 lbs/kWh to 23.5 lbs/kWh. There is some weight savings with third party batteries, but the difference in weight is relatively small. The outlier here is the third party ePropulsion battery from Solid State Marine. Solid state battery technology is a significant breakthrough and has a power to weight ration of about half of LiFePO4 batteries. The price point is slightly higher than ePropulsion E Series batteries, but the weight savings is significant; Solid State Marine batteries weight less than half of the ePropulsion e60 or e163.

What to look for in a third party ePropulsion battery

• Voltage. The ePropulsion Spirit series, Pod Evo series, and Navy Evo series all run on 48 volts. If you're planning to use one battery, it must be a 48v battery. You can use more than one 48v battery if you wire them in parallel. If you're planning to use more than one third party battery with your ePropulsion motor, you may be able to use two 24v batteries or four 12v batteries if you wire them in series, but the voltage must add up to 48v.
• Continuous power output. It's important that the continuous power output of the third party battery can meet the power demand of the ePropulsion outboard or pod drive. The specification that you're looking for here is the continuous discharge rate of the battery; you need to make sure that the battery's continuous power output is greater than or equal to the power demand of the motor. These requirements are:
  • ePropulsion Spirit: 28A
  • ePropulsion Pod 1.0 Evo: 25A
  • ePropulsion Navy 3 / Pod 3: 62.5A
  • ePropulsion Navy 6 / Pod 6: 125A
• IP rating. ePropulsion E Series Batteries are IP67 rated, which means that the E60 and E163 are completely protected from dust and are protected against water for up to 30 minutes at a depth of one meter. If you do decide to use a third party battery with your ePropulsion motor, it's best practice that this battery also be rated IP67. 
• Built in Battery Management System (BMS). A built in BMS is a very important safety feature for batteries for electric outboards. Not only does the BMS monitor the battery for safety reasons, but it optimizes battery performance and longevity. It's important for safety reasons that any third party ePropulsion battery has a built in BMS.
• Bluetooth/state of charge (SOC) monitoring. If you decide to use a third party battery with the Navy 6 Evo or other ePropulsion motor, you won't have a data cable that connects the motor the the battery. You motor should still be able to tell you SOC, but having an additional SOC monitoring method is helpful during use and when your battery isn't connected to your electric boat motor. Most high quality batteries have a Bluetooth feature, which allows you to monitor the SOC of your third party ePropulsion battery from your phone.

Where to buy third party ePropulsion batteries

There are a number of online stores that sell third party ePropulsion batteries, including our own! You can see the options that we sell on our batteries page.

Additional parts needed for using a third party battery with ePropulsion outboards

When ePropulsion switched from their older E series batteries to the e60 and e163, they switched the connectors from ring terminals to a waterproof connector. The power cables that come off of the ePropulsion Navy Evo outboards and ePropulsion Pod Drive Evo motors have these special terminals on the end, but you'll need ring terminals two connect these cables to most third party ePropulsion batteries. 

There are two solutions for this. One option is to cut the power cables that come off of the motor and crimp on ring terminals. We do not recommend this method, as any problems that arise from a bad crimp will not be covered under warranty. The other option is to purchase an ePropulsion third party battery kit, which includes the ePropulsion 150A bus bar and a 1.5m E Battery Output Cable. With this kit, you'd run the power cable from the ePropulsion outboard or pod drive to the bus bar, then connect one end of the power output cable to the bus bar and the other end to your third party battery. 

If you are planning to use a third party battery with the ePropulsion Spirit Evo or ePropulsion 1.0 plus, you'd need a ePropulsion Spirit External Battery Cable. In the past, these cables have ended in ring terminals, but this may change in the future so that the cable is more compatible with the ePropulsion E60 and ePropulsion E163. Please check with us before purchasing and we will confirm what the end of the cable looks like.

Final thoughts on using third party batteries with ePropulsion outboards

Please note that the information provided in this blog post has not been endorsed by ePropulsion. EMO Electric does not recommend using third party batteries for ePropulsion motors and does not guarantee the functionality of any third party battery with any ePropulsion motor. EMO Electric will not be held liable for any problems that arise from using a third party battery with an ePropulsion motor.