Engine vs Motor: What Is the Difference?
In strict technical use, an engine turns fuel into motion by burning it, while a motor turns another form of energy, usually electricity, into motion. In everyday English the two words overlap: a car’s V8 is often called a motor, and a gasoline outboard is called an outboard motor even though it contains an engine. Both uses are correct in context. This guide explains where the line sits and how it applies to the crate engines and outboard motors we sell.
Engine vs motor at a glance
| Engine | Motor | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy in | Fuel such as gasoline or diesel, burned inside it | Usually electricity (also air or hydraulic pressure) |
| How it makes motion | Combustion pressure pushes pistons that turn a crankshaft | In an electric motor, magnetic fields turn a rotor |
| Needs | Fuel, air, ignition, cooling and an exhaust | A power source, such as a battery, and a controller |
| Examples | Car and truck engines, crate engines, the powerhead of a gas outboard | Electric outboards, starter motors, trolling motors, electric car drive motors |
| In our shop | Crate engines (100 listings, from $4,899) | Torqeedo Travel electric outboards (from $1,569) |
A simple rule: if it burns fuel, it is an engine; if it runs on electricity or another energy supplied to it, it is a motor.
Where the words come from
“Engine” comes through French from the Latin ingenium, meaning cleverness or a clever device, and for centuries it meant almost any machine. “Motor” comes from the Latin word for “mover” and was used for anything that produces motion long before electric motors existed. That history explains why “motor car”, “motor vehicle” and “motor oil” all describe gasoline machines.
Is a car engine a motor?
In technical terms the gasoline or diesel unit under the hood is an engine. A car also contains several true motors:
- The starter motor that cranks the engine
- The electric motors that drive the wipers, windows and cooling fans
In speech, calling the engine a motor is normal, and a “crate motor” is the same thing as a crate engine: a new engine shipped from the manufacturer. Electric cars have motors and no engine; hybrids have both.
Outboard motor or outboard engine?
Both terms are used. A gasoline outboard is an engine in the technical sense: the Suzuki and Honda outboards we sell burn gasoline in a powerhead that drives the propeller through the midsection and gearcase (see parts of an outboard motor). The industry still calls the whole unit an outboard motor. An electric outboard such as the Torqeedo Travel is a motor in both senses: an electric motor powered by a lithium battery, which the Torqeedo listings give as 1,080 Wh (Travel Battery) or 1,425 Wh (XP Travel Battery).
| Outboards we sell | What powers them | From |
|---|---|---|
| Suzuki DF2.5 to DF30A | Gasoline engine | $820 |
| Honda BF2.3, BF15 and BF20 | Gasoline engine | $999.99 |
| Torqeedo Travel S and L | Electric motor and lithium battery | $1,569 |
All 46 outboards are listed under outboard motors. Prices are current list prices.
Why does the difference matter when you shop?
- Running costs and care: an engine needs fuel, oil, cooling and exhaust care (see outboard motor maintenance); an electric motor needs a charged battery and little else, but its range depends on battery capacity and load.
- Search terms mean the same thing: “crate motor” and “crate engine”, or “boat motor” and “outboard motor”, describe the same products.
- Fuel types differ inside the engine family too: see gas vs diesel engines and 2-stroke vs 4-stroke outboards.
Frequently asked questions
Is an engine a type of motor?
In everyday English, yes: any machine that produces motion can be called a motor, so “motor” is often used for engines. In technical use the words are kept apart: an engine burns fuel, while a motor converts energy supplied to it, usually electricity.
Is an electric motor an engine?
No. An electric motor turns electrical energy into rotation with magnetic fields and burns nothing, so it is not an engine. That is why electric cars and electric outboards are said to have motors.
Why is it called motor oil if cars have engines?
“Motor” was the general word for anything that produced motion when cars appeared, so early cars were “motor cars” and their oil became “motor oil”. The name stayed even as “engine” became the technical term.
Is an outboard motor an engine?
A gasoline outboard contains an engine (the powerhead) and is technically an outboard engine, though “outboard motor” is the usual name. An electric outboard is a true motor.
Is a crate motor the same as a crate engine?
Yes. Both describe a new engine shipped from the manufacturer, either as a long block or as a complete engine. See what is a crate engine.
Does an electric car have an engine?
No. A battery electric car is driven by one or more electric motors and has no engine. A hybrid has both an engine and at least one motor.
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