The small company Molabo from Ottobrunn has introduced nothing less than a paradigm shift in boat drives with the innovative electric motor Aries: for the first time, it is now possible to use a safe and reliable 48-volt low-voltage with safe-to-touch technology instead of the previously used 400-volt high-voltage for motorboating. Now, the award-winning 48-volt technology is also available as a more cost-effective 25 kW Power Smart variant.
Molabo, founded in 2016 in Ottobrunn near Munich, has focused on innovation, sustainability and performance from the very beginning. The goal of the small Bavarian company was to develop and produce advanced electric drives with 48-volt technology for use in the marine industry. The company’s primary mission was and is to enable sustainable mobility with touch-safe low-voltage electrical solutions.
The result is impressive: with a continuous power output of 50 kW, the electric boat motor Aries i50 delivers an impressive performance with a continuous output of 50 kW and offers excellent acceleration from the moment you turn it on. As an inboard with shaft installation, the compact, world’s most powerful 48 V electric motor as a system solution for fast planing with motorboats up to 12 m and displacement with sailboats up to 15 m or 12 t really has what it takes to revolutionize the industry.
Advantage: the system is said to offer a silent, low-vibration drive solution that is easy to install thanks to the touch-proof 48 V low-voltage technology.
Advantage of the Molabo inboard system: according to the manufacturer, it offers “a silent, low-vibration drive solution” that is “easy to install” thanks to the “touch-safe 48 V low-voltage technology”. The core of the innovative Intelligent Stator Cage Drive (ISCAD) technology is the new stator of the electric motor. Instead of complicated windings, simple rods are used to form a kind of cage. Another special feature of the design is the integration of the controller into the motor.
The large number of bars makes it possible to distribute the high currents on the AC side, which are necessary for very high power at 48 V, over many phases. Due to the low induced voltage, 50 low-voltage semiconductors (MOSFET) are used in the Aries, which work significantly more efficiently than high-voltage components (IGBT), especially in partial-load operation. This also helps to conserve battery power and keep operating costs low.
Low-voltage systems have a lower safety risk, are easier to install, are less prone to failure and are cheaper.
The much lower voltages compared to high-voltage cables are what make the system so attractive for boat owners. The reason: low-voltage cables carry much lower voltages than high-voltage cables, which significantly reduces the risk of electric shocks and other accidents. Simply put: the safety risk on board is minimized and manageable.
Installation is also much easier compared to on-board high-voltage technology. Low-voltage cables are easier to handle in terms of measurement, clamping and wiring, and do not require certified high-voltage specialists.
Finally, low-voltage cables are less susceptible to faults due to the lower voltage and require less maintenance. Not to mention the costs: low-voltage cables are cheaper to purchase and do not require any special high-voltage measuring technology such as insulation monitors.
Authorities and motorboat shipyards have already decided to use the innovative 48 V system.
The fire department of Kiel has recognized the advantages of the 48 V system and has commissioned the Kewatec AluBoat shipyard in Finland to build a fireboat that is equipped with an advanced hybrid waterjet propulsion system developed by Doen Waterjets. This propulsion system uses Molabo’s Aries i50 electric motors.
The boat, which is designed for the Kiel Canal, the Kiel Fjord and an area up to ten nautical miles from the coast, is based on Kewatec’s e-FiFi 1470 design and is suitable for fire protection, rescue services, disaster relief and civil protection.
well-known pleasure boat manufacturers such as the traditional Austrian shipyard Frauscher (see our article on the new Frauscher boat with Porsche drive). According to the manufacturer, the powerful Aries i50 50 kW electric motor system will enable the stylish leisure boat to “glide quickly and achieve a range of 83 km at 5.4 knots with a 48 kWh LFP battery bank”.
The new Aries i25 inboard motor is now available for displacement boats up to six tons and motorboats up to six meters in length
Molabo is currently presenting the new Aries i25 inboard at this year’s Metstrade in Amsterdam. The Aries i25 is to replace the existing 50 kW in- and outboards, which have each won the “Electric and Hybrid Marine Awards” in the last two years. “New Propulsion Technology of the Year” award.
This 25 kW system was developed primarily for boaters looking for a compact and, in particular, cost-effective solution. According to Molabo, the small system also delivers “Molabo’s signature touch-safe voltage – but at an affordable price”.
The new system is said to deliver 25 kW of power with high torque and fast acceleration, and to be suitable for displacement boats up to six tons, sailboats up to ten meters, and powerboats up to six meters. Workboats are also said to be able to benefit from the all-electric or hybrid configurations.
