RAD Propulsion has launched a finance-leasing programme for its RAD 40 electric outboard, with complete propulsion packages starting from £995 per month. The scheme is intended to reduce the initial capital barrier for owners and operators considering a move from combustion power to electric propulsion.
The package can include the 40 kW RAD 40 outboard, battery, steering wheel, throttle, control units and required cabling. RAD says terms are available over three, four or five years, with final pricing depending on the battery and vessel configuration.
The lease covers more than the motor
Electric repowering costs are often driven by the wider system rather than the motor alone. Batteries, high-voltage distribution, controls and steering can materially change the final installation price, so RAD is packaging those elements into the finance arrangement.
That makes the monthly figure easier to compare with an owner's wider propulsion budget. It also reduces the risk of choosing a motor first and discovering later that the supporting hardware changes the economics of the project.
RAD 40 delivers 40 kW continuously
The RAD 40 is rated at 40 kW continuous power and operates on a 350-to-450-volt architecture. The outboard uses integrated electro-hydraulic steering with approximately 90 degrees of movement to either side, giving a total 180-degree steering range for low-speed manoeuvring.
The drive also uses RAD's digital control architecture for throttle, steering and system data. That integrated approach can simplify installation compared with combining separate propulsion and steering packages from different suppliers.
Battery choice still determines range
The leasing offer includes battery options, but actual endurance will depend on hull form, displacement, speed and selected battery capacity. Electric propulsion remains particularly sensitive to sustained high-speed operation because energy demand rises sharply as resistance increases.
Owners therefore need to size the system around a realistic duty cycle rather than simply matching the nominal horsepower of an existing engine. A yacht used mainly for short coastal passages can require a very different battery package from one expected to cruise all day.
Finance becomes part of the electrification equation
RAD says the programme uses fixed monthly payments and is structured so customers can own the drive system at the end of the term. That shifts the buying decision from a single large capital payment toward a predictable operating commitment over several seasons.
For the luxury-yacht market, the significance is not just the £995 headline figure. It shows electric-propulsion suppliers beginning to compete on financing and ownership structure as well as engineering, which could make repower projects easier to budget.
