Sea Ray joins the ranks of Steyr Motors Hybrids

Driving Sea Ray's Green Boat was not unlike driving a conventional stern drive, at least at first. In primary-diesel mode, the average top end I recorded was 38.7 mph, somewhat less than I'd expect from the standard 260-hp MerCruiser 5.0L MPI Bravo III package. Maximum fuel burn was 15.7 gph, way less than the aforementioned gasoline package.

Subtle differences began to arise eventually. Primary-diesel acceleration was noticeably robust, thanks to the hybrid's ability to boost torque on the lower end of the rpm register (see the acceleration curve, this story). And remember that black rocker switch on the steering console I mentioned earlier? To toggle from primary-diesel to all-electric mode I had to first shut off the diesel via the ignition key, then hit the rocker to energize the Steyr's electric motor and align it with the Quicksilver engine control.

Subtlety totally disappeared with the advent of the much anticipated all-electric mode. Driving was an absolute hoot! The system silently pushed the 240 along at 4.9 mph while drawing 90 amps from the Odysseys, for a respectable run time of approximately one hour. We topped out at 5.6 mph while drawing 150 amps, for a significantly diminished run time of approximately 25 minutes. These speeds were so close to those I got while idling on primary-diesel power alone that I could hardly tell the difference—except for the absence of smoke, smell, vibration, and engine noise. Moreover, I felt that the maneuvering clout and shifting response while docking at slower speeds were virtually the same as in the diesel mode, although it's worth noting that weather conditions were benign at the time, with virtually no wind or current.

The price? Sea Ray hasn't put one on the Green Boat yet. In fact, at presstime, the company was still gauging interest from dealers, employees, and journalists, wondering whether the wild-and-crazy little vessel—or one like her—will indeed be marketable at some point in the future. "We'll just have to wait and see," concluded Weyant.

For more information on Sea Ray, including contact information, click here.

PAGES:

1

2