Motor power

What it means

Motor power is stated in kilowatts (kW). One kilowatt is roughly 1.36 horsepower, so a 50 kW drive is about 68 hp — but the comparison flatters the combustion engine, because an electric motor delivers its full turning force from a standstill and holds it across a much wider band.

Continuous and peak

Two numbers are often quoted. Continuous power is what the motor can sustain indefinitely without overheating; peak is what it can give for a burst, typically to get a planing hull up onto the plane. A brochure figure without a qualifier is usually the peak. Where a builder gives both, the continuous figure is the one that describes how the boat actually travels.

Why it matters

More power is not more range — it is the opposite. Power drawn is energy spent, and on an electric boat the drivetrain that gets you to the harbour fastest is rarely the one that gets you there at all. Read it together with battery capacity and the speed the range was measured at.