Torqeedo Names Jill Heinerth Electric Explorer as Travel XP Supports Remote Dives

A new explorer joins the electric-propulsion programme

Marine electric-propulsion manufacturer Torqeedo announced on 16 September 2026 that Canadian underwater explorer Jill Heinerth has joined its Electric Explorers brand ambassador programme. The partnership highlights the use of portable electric propulsion to reach dive locations in remote and environmentally sensitive waters.

Heinerth’s work combines exploration, underwater photography and public education, according to Torqeedo’s official announcement. The company presents its partnership as an example of how an electrically powered support boat can be used during fieldwork, rather than as a new installation aboard a specific superyacht.

The Travel XP specification

Torqeedo identifies its portable Travel XP outboard as the motor used on Heinerth’s expeditions. The manufacturer specifies 1,600 watts of input power and a matching 1,512Wh lithium-ion battery, with onboard battery information available to help plan a trip.

The release does not provide a verified distance or operating time for a particular boat, load, speed and sea state. Those variables matter substantially for any electric tender, so a claimed universal range or a direct comparison with a larger superyacht propulsion system would be misleading.

Quiet access to sensitive waters

Heinerth says quiet electric running assists her wildlife photography and allows her to work with less engine noise around dive sites. Torqeedo also describes the outboard as locally emission-free in operation, a narrower claim than saying the entire product or its electricity supply has zero environmental impact.

For superyacht owners, captains and expedition planners, the relevant connection is the wider use of small electric support craft rather than main-yacht propulsion. Such equipment must still be selected around the support boat’s rating, charging access, operating profile and local safety requirements.

What the announcement does and does not establish

Torqeedo says its programme brings together explorers, researchers and other users whose work can benefit from electric-powered access to the water. Heinerth reports having used a Torqeedo motor for more than three years, but the announcement is a supplier and ambassador update rather than a new independently witnessed endurance trial.

The news adds a practical example to the marine industry’s discussion of small-craft electrification, especially where reduced onboard noise is useful. There is no announced large-yacht retrofit, superyacht order or independently tested fuel-saving percentage associated with this partnership.