#Product Trends
Fischer Panda podded electric drive - an alternative to the traditional saildrive
The installation of an externally mounted Fischer Panda AZIPROP podded electric drive is very popular among yacht owners. Fischer Panda's 10 kW / 20 KW podded electric drive (48 V) also offers an interesting alternative to the saildrive.
Fischer Panda's highly efficient podded electric drive is suited for installation as an original equipment for sailing yachts with a saildrive engine bed. Alternatively, an existing diesel saildrive can be replaced by the electric motor. The installation of an electric drive means the yacht owner no longer needs to worry about diesel fumes or diesel or oil in the bilge.
Compared to the traditional saildrive with combustion engine, the complete electric motor of the Fischer Panda podded drive is submerged beneath the vessel. The direct drive eliminate the gearbox and vertical power transmission through the hull. This minimises noise and vibration.
The Fischer Panda podded motor simplifies the installation and offers new possibilities for the interior design. Maintenance is kept at a minimum.
Only the battery bank and motor controller are installed within the hull. Cooling for the motor is achieved using the surrounding water. The electrical connections to the motor controller and the battery bank are routed through the drive’s centre post.
Fischer Panda also offers additional engineering services for custom manufacturing to match the sail drive form to the hull’s adapter plate for customer-specific applications.
Fischer Panda also recommends the installation of a generator for charging the battery banks if shore power is not available or solar/wind are not sufficient for charging. The generator can also enhance the system as a range extender.
