Torqeedo is using the 2026 Travel XS to make portable electric propulsion feel more accessible for small-boat owners, tender users, anglers, sailors, and anyone looking for a cleaner alternative to a small gas outboard. The new model sits at the compact end of Torqeedo’s Travel lineup, with thrust comparable to a 2 hp gasoline outboard, a 700 W electric motor, and a removable 44 V / 648 Wh lithium battery. For boaters who want to move an inflatable, dinghy, tender, or small sailboat without fuel storage, oil, exhaust, or pull-start frustration, the Travel XS is built around a simple pitch: carry it, mount it, click in the battery, and go.

The weight is a core part of the story. Torqeedo lists the motor at 11.6 kg, or 25.6 lb, and the battery at 6.8 kg, or 15 lb, putting the full system at about 40 lb. That keeps it within the range of a motor that can be moved from garage to dock, from car trunk to inflatable, or from sailboat locker to transom without a trailer or lifting system. The package uses a foldable tiller, short-shaft configuration, and a weedless 10 x 6.5 WDL propeller, which points to the use case Torqeedo is targeting: small boats, short trips, tenders, and inland-water adventures where low noise and low maintenance matter as much as speed.

The Travel XS also brings Torqeedo’s connected features into a smaller package. A color display gives boaters performance data at the tiller, while app connectivity supports monitoring and system updates through a mobile device. That matters for new electric boaters because battery state, range, and runtime are the new equivalents of checking a fuel tank. Instead of guessing how much gas is left, the user can see data from the system and plan around power use.

The technical package: 700 W output, 2 hp-equivalent performance, 44 V / 648 Wh lithium battery, solar charging support, Click & Play battery connection, foldable tiller steering, color display, app connectivity, motor weight of 11.6 kg, battery weight of 6.8 kg, and total system weight of about 18.4 kg. Runtime and range will depend on hull shape, load, wind, current, and throttle setting, but the Travel XS is designed for the low-power end of boating, not high-speed planing. Its role is to replace small gas outboards on boats where portability, silence, and ease of use carry more value than horsepower.

Torqeedo’s new small outboard points in another direction: everyday electrification. A compact 2 hp-equivalent motor may not grab attention like a 50-knot electric sport boat, but it could reach far more boaters. For cottage docks, tenders, dinghies, inflatables, restricted lakes, and quiet-water cruising, the Travel XS gives the first-time electric buyer a product that is light enough to carry, simple enough to understand, and capable enough for short-range use.

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Angola Westbrook Racing took control of the E1 Lake Como GP and left Italy on top of the championship. Will Smith’s team, with Sara Price and Lucas Ordóñez in the RaceBird, won both finals on Lake Como to secure its second E1 victory, returning to the same lake where Westbrook scored its first win in 2024.

The result was not a clean ride from start to finish. Price picked up damage in the opening stages, which forced repairs and put pressure on the Westbrook crew. The team recovered, reached the finals, and turned the weekend into a championship statement. With the win, Westbrook moved to 60 points, three ahead of Team Brady and five ahead of Aoki Racing Team.

There were crashes and contact. Emma Kimiläinen hit a course mark in Final 1 and damaged Team Brady’s RaceBird. Sam Coleman still brought the boat home in third place, keeping the defending champions within reach in the standings. Aoki Racing also reached the final but missed the podium after arriving in Como as one of the teams to beat.

The race had a few storylines beyond the winner. Team Blue Rising entered the weekend at the bottom of the championship, but John Peeters made two strong starts from the outside lane and helped the team finish second. He was named PIF Pilot of the Day. Team AlUla, backed by LeBron James, had taken pole through Rusty Wyatt, but could not convert that speed into the race win. Off the water, new Sierra Racing Club co-owners Thibaut Courtois and Kyle Kuzma saw E1 in person for the first time, adding more celebrity ownership weight to a series built around electric racing, sport, and spectacle.

Lake Como gave E1 the kind of weekend it needs: a returning winner, damaged boats, a championship lead change, and enough celebrity tension to carry the story beyond powerboat fans.

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With solar power, cruising through a canal (no wake in a no wake zone!)