With the advancement of the "dual carbon" goals and the in-depth development of eco-tourism concepts, scenic spot cruise ships, as the core carrier of water sightseeing, have seen the green transformation of their power systems become an industry trend. Relying on core advantages such as zero emissions, low noise, and easy operation, electric outboard motors are gradually replacing traditional fuel-powered outboard motors and becoming the preferred solution for the upgrading of scenic spot cruise ships. Combining practical application cases such as the Cangzhou section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, this article deeply analyzes the advantages and characteristics of electric outboard motors in the use of scenic spot cruise ships.

I. Core Advantages: Meeting Diverse Needs of Scenic Spot Operations

(1) Eco-friendly and Zero Emissions, Safeguarding the Pristine Water Areas of Scenic Spots

Scenic water areas are ecologically sensitive zones. Problems such as oil spills and exhaust emissions generated by the operation of traditional fuel-powered outboard motors will seriously damage the water environment and surrounding ecology. Powered by electricity, electric outboard motors achieve zero exhaust emissions and zero oil spills during operation, fundamentally avoiding pollution to the water ecology. For example, to protect the ecological authenticity of the millennium-old canal, the Cangzhou section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal specially adopted the electric outboard motor propulsion scheme, which effectively assisted the river ecological restoration and greening improvement projects, realizing the harmonious coexistence of cruise ship operations and ecological protection. This environmental protection attribute not only meets the policy requirements of the country for scenic spot ecological protection but also polishes the green business card of the scenic spot.

(2) Low-Noise and Stable Operation, Upgrading Tourists' Sightseeing Experience

The comfort of the sightseeing experience is an important part of the competitiveness of scenic spots. The roar of traditional fuel-powered outboard motors during operation will break the quiet atmosphere of the scenic spot and affect tourists' perception of natural landscapes and cultural heritage. Driven by motors, electric outboard motors operate with extremely low noise, creating a quiet and peaceful sightseeing environment for tourists, allowing them to listen to explanations more clearly and feel the sound of water and natural birdsong. At the same time, the power output of electric outboard motors is stable, without the jitter of fuel engines, making the cruise ship travel more smoothly and effectively improving the riding comfort of tourists. Operators of the Cangzhou section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal reported that the cruise ships propelled by electric outboard motors run smoothly, allowing tourists to better appreciate the beautiful scenery of the canal's "nine bends and eighteen turns" and the relics along the coast.

(3) Controllable Operation Costs, Significant Long-Term Economy

One of the core demands of scenic spot operations is cost control, and electric outboard motors show outstanding advantages in this regard. In terms of usage costs, the cost of obtaining electricity is much lower than that of fuel, and the electricity price is relatively stable, which can effectively avoid the cost risk caused by fuel price fluctuations; in terms of maintenance costs, electric outboard motors have a simple structure and few moving parts. Unlike fuel-powered outboard motors, there is no need to regularly replace wearing parts such as engine oil, air filters, and spark plugs. Maintenance work mainly focuses on battery inspection and propeller wear inspection, which can be completed by ordinary staff after simple training, greatly reducing the time and economic costs of maintenance. Although the initial purchase cost of electric outboard motors is relatively high, in the long run, their characteristics of low energy consumption and low maintenance can significantly amortize costs and realize the improvement of economic benefits. In addition, electric outboard motors can complete charging during operation intervals and non-working hours at night, without affecting normal daytime operations, further improving operational efficiency.

(4) Supported by Policy Dividends, Reducing the Threshold for Transformation

Under the policy guidance of the country to promote the green and low-carbon transformation of the shipbuilding industry, electric outboard motors have obtained multi-level policy support. The "14th Five-Year Plan" clearly proposes to promote the upgrading of inland ship power systems towards cleanliness and intelligence. Policies such as the "Detailed Rules for the Implementation of Subsidies for New Energy Ship Power" provide a one-time subsidy of 15% of the purchase price for eligible electric outboard motors and special support for the construction of charging infrastructure. At the local level, provinces such as Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu have also introduced supportive policies such as special subsidies and industrial funds, reducing the capital threshold for the electrification transformation of scenic spot cruise ships. Policy support not only makes the transformation cost of scenic spots more controllable but also conforms to the mainstream trend of industry development.

II. Core Characteristics: Adapting to the Scenario Needs of Scenic Spot Cruise Ships

(1) Precise Power Output, Flexible and Convenient Operation

Scenic spot cruise ships usually need to start, stop and turn frequently in narrow water areas and dense terminal areas, which have high requirements for maneuverability. The power output of electric outboard motors can be linearly adjusted, allowing drivers to accurately control the ship's speed and heading, easily cope with complex water environments and terminal entry and exit operations, and effectively improve navigation safety. At the same time, electric outboard motors start quickly, which can be started instantly with the press of a button and have a sensitive response. Compared with the cumbersome start-up process of fuel-powered outboard motors, the difficulty of driving operations is greatly reduced. Some high-end models are equipped with remote control boxes and color touch screens, which can also display real-time information such as power, remaining range, battery level, and current speed, making driving more intuitive and reassuring.

(2) Strong Customization Adaptability, Compatible with Multiple Types of Cruise Ships

There are various types of scenic spot cruise ships, including antique ships, modern sightseeing ships, open-top cruise ships, etc. Different ship types have significant differences in parameters such as hull structure, load capacity, and draft depth. electric outboard motors can be customized and adapted according to the needs of different ship types, providing a variety of power options. For example, the 15 sightseeing ships in the Cangzhou section of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal have selected F10 electric outboard motors equivalent to 18 horsepower and Navy 6.0 Evo electric outboard motors equivalent to 9.9 horsepower according to the characteristics of the ship types, ensuring that all types of cruise ships can meet daily operation needs, with a navigation speed of up to 12 km/h and full-day sightseeing range at economic speed. This customization capability enables electric outboard motors to be widely adapted to the diverse cruise ship needs of scenic spots.

(3) Intelligent Management and Controllability, Improving Operational Dispatching Efficiency

Modern scenic spot operations are inseparable from intelligent management, and the intelligent attributes of electric outboard motors can be seamlessly connected with the scenic spot operation dispatching system. Through the battery management system and electronic control system, scenic spot managers can real-time monitor data such as the operating status, battery level, and remaining range of each cruise ship, accurately grasp the operating trajectory and available time of the cruise ship, facilitate the rational dispatching of transportation capacity, and avoid operational interruptions caused by insufficient cruise ship range. At the same time, the intelligent system can real-time monitor the battery status and perform balanced charging, extending the service life of the battery and ensuring operational stability.

III. Conclusion: electric outboard motors Lead the Green Innovation of Scenic Spot Cruise Ships

With their advantages such as environmental protection, zero emissions, low noise, comfort, controllable costs, and flexible operation, as well as the characteristics of adapting to multiple types of cruise ships, electric outboard motors accurately meet the ecological, experience, and cost needs of scenic spot cruise ship operations. With the continuous progress of battery technology and the continuous increase of policy support, the range and power performance of electric outboard motors will be further improved, and their application penetration rate in scenic spot cruise ships will also continue to increase. For scenic spots, the selection of electric outboard motors is not only an upgrade of equipment but also the practice of the green development concept, which will bring tourists a better sightseeing experience and inject strong impetus into the sustainable development of scenic spots.