Alongside its visionary OEM Partners, Southern Power’s quest to help decarbonise the regional maritime industry – and beyond the South African coastline – gathered steam in 2023, across its S.A-wide network of approved Service Dealers – like the pro team at Gqeberha’s Mr On-Site, who joined that dedicated network in spring. 

In distributing pioneering technologies from globally renowned OEMs, which can also help reduce environmental impact, Southern Power continued to support more sustainable outcomes for its customers, employees, dealers, suppliers, shareholders, and communities around the country throughout 2023.

Impressive – and safe – power drives for electric boat engine users

Two of the most intriguing breakthroughs Southern Power was proud to unveil to South Africans last year were game-changing e-mobility solutions for a quieter, smoother and safer boating experience.

  • In October, it announced a new partnership with the world-class, EU-based OEM MOLABO, to bring its range to South Africa for the first time. The quest of MOLABO’s innovative engineers, technicians and industry experts is to provide safe-to-touch, low-voltage yet high-power e-solutions for marine mobility, especially in the 48 volt range – and they’ve done it! Find out more about the world’s most powerful 48V safe-to-touch electric drive from MOLABO, ideal for larger vessels and now distributed locally, by Southern Power.

MOLABO was awarded 2023’s New Propulsion Technology of the Year at the annual Electric & Hybrid Marine Awards. With quality in mind, MOLABO’s range meets stringent EU safety standards.

  • Torqeedo’s Deep Blu 80 batteries draw on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry to provide 80 kWh of energy storage for an electric engine – twice the capacity of the previous generation of these batteries. The result is an enduring and environmentally-friendly power source for a “safe-to-touch” electrical propulsion solution on the water – also in the 40 V+ power band – a breakthrough in ensuring both powerful propulsion and human safety – see the full specs here. This high-performance solution is particularly useful for larger, heavier displacement vessels like yachts, catamarans and other commercial vessels.

Charting new waters together with its visionary OEMS

The annual Cape Town boat show, Boatica Cape Town, was a highlight of the year for Southern Power and its OEM Partners in late October. At stand P2, the team was excited to exhibit several crowd-drawing attractions, including:

  • OXE Marine’s hybrid 450 HP boat engine  – another first for South Africa. This powerful engine combines the popular HP diesel outboard with an extra 150 HP delivered through electric means. Its patented primary belt transmission provides full range torque transfer capability without affecting the engine’s hydrodynamics of the OXE Diesel – meaning that properties previously only available for inboard use can now be applied to outboard as well – take a look.
  • Blueline’s Volvo Penta’s D4 270 HP hybrid diesel and Volvo Penta’s development of a range of cutting-edge, fuel-efficient hybrid diesel boat engines, ranging from 150 HP to 600 HP, for a wide array of ocean-going vessels that will support their “Journey to Sustainability”.
  • The introduction to expo attendees of MOLABO’s powerful electric propulsion system was impressive enough but, in combination with OEM Partner Whisper Power’s on-board electric generation system and the e-propulsion technology of New Zealand’s Earthling, the future of 100% e-mobility for larger boats was unveiled to boating enthusiasts – read more here.
  • Also, in a game-changing development to support the fast-growing adoption of electric vehicles by South African drivers, the Southern Power team was excited to unveil Webasto Group’s next-gen EV charging station – for the first time in Africa.
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With impetus having been boosted by positive reactions to its Partner OEMs’ unique solutions, both at Boatica Cape Town and into 2023’s high summer season – “I think a lot more people are starting to dip their toe into the waters of electrification, and it’s up to us, as distributors and supporters of the boating industry, to find the right products to support them in their endeavours. 

Our focus for 2024 is to continue enhancing our already value-adding service to customers while enabling the wider adoption of increasingly environmentally friendly propulsion, power generation, heating and cooling solutions – for the long-term benefit of both people and planet.” 

Jacques Brummer, CEO, Southern Power