RAD Propulsion motor and Seavolt charger

RAD Propulsion and Seavolt chargers team up to offer one stop marine electrification

March 3, 2025 Jeff Butler 0 Comments RAD Propulsion, Seavolt

UK electric drive manufacturer RAD Propulsion has joined forces with the marine charging technology and network of Australia’s Seavolt’s to deliver complete electric propulsion solutions to boat manufacturers, marinas, ports, sporting organizations, and governments across Australia and the Pacific region.

Seavolt CEO Chris Cudlipp highlighted the transformative potential of RAD Propulsion’s offerings, saying “For the first time, it’s possible to offer a total engine, battery and charging solution.”

“We’re getting constant enquiries from customers who want to electrify their fleets of outboard-powered boats. Seavolt provides a complete charging solution but no one in the market was offering plug-and-play electric power replacement that supported ultra-fast charging. RAD Propulsion delivers that.”

Customers eager to electrify their fleets

Both companies are at the forefront of electrification in the marine industry. Seavolt is pioneering marine charging networks in Australia and Singapore, with units ranging from 7kW to 360kW that can charge workboats in minutes instead of hours. The chargers are powered by 100% renewable electricity sourced by Seavolt from certified suppliers and its own micro-grid solar power and battery storage systems.

RAD Propulsion is a UK based marine technology company best known for its flagship RAD 40 electric outboard with a clever swivelling lower leg. The 40kW unit (≈ 55 hp) is lightweight and powerful, backed up by the company’s flexible Li-ion battery modules and packs that can be charged through both standard AC shore power sockets and high speed CCS2 DC fast chargers.

They recently won the Clean Maritime Innovator Award at the 2024 Maritime UK Solent Awards and are part of the Zero Emission Network of Workboats (ZENOW), in which 20 RS Electric workboats powered by RAD drives are being delivered to marine businesses and organizations along the UK coastline.

Read: RAD 40 chosen for 26 foot cedar runabout in Maine

Speaking of the new Seavolt partnership, Dan Hook, CEO of RAD Propulsion, underscored its importance. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Seavolt to bring sustainable and high performance solutions to Australia and the Pacific,” he said. “This partnership perfectly aligns with our mission to cut carbon emissions in the maritime industry by making electric propulsion smarter, cleaner, and more accessible. Together, we’re setting a new standard for what electric boating can achieve.”

Partnership a natural fit

This partnership is a natural fit, combining Seavolt’s expertise in charging infrastructure with RAD Propulsion’s cutting-edge electric propulsion technology.

Two of the challenges hampering a faster transformation to marine electrification are mainstream boat builders being unfamiliar with electric propulsion technology and a charging network that is not yet widespread. The RAD / Seavolt partnership addresses both.

Both RAD and Seavolt each provide plug and play solutions in their respective fields. Boat manufacturers – of both commercial and leisure models – are provided with RAD’s complete drive, battery and monitoring system that is designed for easy installation.

The RAD 40 engine is known not only for its rotatable lower leg and flexible battery system, but also features like advanced multi-function displays, a drive-by-wire control system, and connectivity solutions via GPS, Wi-Fi, GSM (a location tracker that works using cellular signals from nearby base stations) and NMEA (the electrical and data specification for communication controlled by the National Marine Electronics Association). The RADTag intelligent key system rounds out the offering, providing unparalleled convenience and security.

On the Seavolt side of things, they make it easy for marinas, ports and municipalities or other organizations to join an expanding charger network. They are provided with free OCPP chargers and DC superchargers, and Seavolt manages all aspects of the system with 24/7 coverage from their cloud-based platform and technical support team. Customers have an RFID card to use the charger and are sent a monthly invoice detailing usage.

“With RAD Propulsion, Seavolt can now offer our customers a one stop, hassle-free engine, battery and charging solution.” said Cudlipp, “We can re-power their existing fleet or propel new hulls, free of air, noise and water pollution.”