German boats up to the electro boot, had two direct drive diesels that had only forward ability. The electric motors acted as generators when the diesels were running but were clutched out when the batteries were full up.
The diesel engines had to be clutched in and out for operations. While in harbor the U-boat operated on only electric motors due to the limitations on backing.
Only Us boats, and the type IXD2 had more than two diesels and only the fleet boats from the very start had diesel electric-propulsion.
The S boats were very much like the German propulsion system of earlier boats.
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