All the new marine engines and motors we can expect to see in 2024

So far, the most visible form of change has been the activity to develop electric boats. But according to the world's marine industry, while battery power has its place, it can't replace liquid fuel until battery range becomes so much better.

That means the focus for now is on how the big names in the marine engine industry will adapt as the price of conventional fuel soars, and the technology needed to make alternative methods of powering a boat becomes more economically viable and socially acceptable - no offshore fisher is going to buy a boat that can't leave the estuary because it does not have enough range.

What can we expect in 2024, then? Plenty, if our rough guide to the roadmap of the year ahead is anything to go by.

Don't forget to tap into the 2024 outboard engine buyer's guide for everything you need to know about the range of outboard engines on offer in Australia.

The big build-up continues ahead of the launch of the all-new 350hp Honda BF350 outboard engine, due on sale here in around June or July this year.

The engine is unique in that it is the brand’s first-ever production V8, and that includes the car side of the business. 

The Honda BF350 features a benchmark-setting 60-degree narrow-angle bank, and incorporates Honda’s technologies that increase power while reducing fuel use.

This includes VTEC (Variable Timing and Lift Electronic Control) which already improves top-end performance on Honda’s 100hp to 250hp outboard engines by changing the camshaft profile and valve lift to suit conditions.

The engine also adopts Honda’s BLAST (Boosted Low Speed Torque) ignition advance system to produce more power at low revs.

It’s unlikely that Honda has developed this engine for a single state of tune, so expect an announcement around a 300hp version to come soon.

And Yamaha? We should also see some of the larger US-built boats that are big Yamaha customers – think names such as Regal and Sportsman – start to switch the boats they deliver to Australia across from the 425hp version of the 5.6-litre V8-based Yamaha XTO Offshore to the more powerful 450hp version as they chase more performance for their products.

Note that Yamaha still does not have a 350hp outboard engine in its line-up after the current V8 quietly slipped out of circulation. Rumour has it a replacement is being worked on, but the big question is when.

Yamaha has also teased a prototype engine running on hydrogen gas, but we’re unlikely to see it in Australia – for now.

Diesel outboard engine specialist OXE Marine, meanwhile, is expected to launch its 450hp hybrid outboard featuring a 300hp conventional diesel powerhead assisted by a 150hp electric motor.

The way the system is set up allows the propeller to turn using electric power alone, or as a diesel-electric drivetrain that uses a performance boost of the high-torque electric motor to help the diesel engine up onto the plane.

The OXE engines are twin-turbocharged, so the electric assistance can help minimise turbo lag down low in the rev range. 

The new hybrid donk is due on sale this year.

For those who like their Yamaya outboard engines taken to the next level, Victorian outboard engine tuning house Nizpro Marine has enhanced its supercharged 4.2-litre Yamaha V6 engines to give them better airflow and a few more revs.

The enhanced design will be offered on every Nizpro Supercharger system ranging from 475hp to 525hp from March, 2024. Meanwhile, work continues on the 633R ...

In terms of bigger boat engines, Volvo Penta is working on a new range of engines it plans to add to its line-up either late in 2024 or early 2025 that will allow superyachts to be fitted with hybrid drivetrains.

The IPS 40 drive system will allow an electric motor to sit in between the circa 2000hp Volvo Penta D13 engines and the propellers that can be used to power the motor yacht entirely at low speeds or help the motor yacht reach a top speed of anywhere up to 40 knots.

Volvo Penta is developing the hybrid system to allow it to control up to four electric motors to help turn the drive shafts. 

Volvo Penta is aiming to increase the fuel efficiency of the drive system by around 30 per cent compared with a conventional shaftdrive setup.

Volvo Penta is also playing around with hydrogen as an alternative fuel, meaning owners will be able to choose to reach for either a hydrogen or diesel fuel pump to power their motor yacht.

Fellow Swedish marine engine maker Scania is also working on a hybrid system that could make its official market debut in 2024.

Dubbed eMachine, the new electric power unit bolts into the back of a Scania engine so it can provide around an extra 230kW of performance to the diesel engine powering the boat.

It can also decouple and allow the boat to drive on full electric power.

Chinese electric outboard motor maker ePropulsion has stepped up its game for next year by unveiling a new flagship 40kW (54hp) model called the X40.

The 40kW motor joins 12kW and 20kW versions that boast a powertrain efficiency to just shy of 90 per cent, meaning almost all the power stored in the battery is converted into thrust.

The new X Series engines feature designs with power tilt and trim, fully integrated electric steering and driver assistance functions such as position and heading hold, as well as being able to connect with a smartphone that can be used to monitor the boat, including battery health.  

The design uses a new five-bladed propeller that grips the water much better – electric motors are known for the large amount of torque they produce at low revs – as well as maximising the efficiency of the motor, which only spins to about 2000rpm.

The new X Series range uses a high-performance lithium iron phosphate battery to power the motors.