French electric marine motor manufacturer TEMO is bringing its latest electric propulsion system to North America, offering sailboat owners an interesting middle ground between a conventional outboard and a permanently installed pod drive.

It’s been nearly two years since we last checked in on the French e-boat motor maker, but it appears they’ve used that time well to make several new advancements, chief among them the TEMO OUTPOD system.

The novel electric boat drivetrain will make its North American debut at the United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland, later this week. The OUTPOD was previously awarded the Best Innovative Product prize at the 2025 Paris Nautic Show, and is now becoming available for boaters in the US.

There are several electric boat motors out there, and even a few specifically designed for sailboats. But the interesting part here is how TEMO has approached installation. Traditional pod drives generally require cutting into the boat’s hull, while electric outboards hang from the transom. The OUTPOD instead places an underwater pod drive on an external, bolt-on transom mount, meaning there’s no drilling below the waterline.

The motor can also slide off its mount for storage or maintenance. A height-adjustable mast allows sailors to pull the entire motor out of the water using a halyard while sailing, eliminating the drag of leaving a propeller in the water. The shaft can rotate through 180 degrees for maneuvering and hydrogeneration. 

TEMO is launching two versions. The OUTPOD 1000 produces 1,300 watts and 66 lb (30 kg) of static thrust, while the larger OUTPOD 3000 bumps that to 3,100 watts and 148 lb (67 kg) of thrust.

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