The Ellen E-ferry will be the first electric ferry to have no back-up generator on board
The world's most powerful electric ferry harbouring the largest battery pack ever installed in a seafaring vessel is primed to begin transporting passengers, operator Ærø Kommune announced today.
The Ellen E-ferry will set sail off the coast of Denmark from the start of July, covering a 22-nautical mile crossing between the islands of Ærø and Fynshav.
It's a voyage seven times further than any other fully electric ferry in the world.
At almost 60m long and with a top speed of 15.5 knots, the ferry can carry up to 198 passengers, along with 31 cars or five trucks on its open deck.
The Ellen ferry is fitted with a 4.3MWh battery pack, and is the first electric ferry to have no emergency back-up generator on board.
"Ellen is an excellent example of the future for electric transport: cleaner, greener and more efficient," said Kim Fausing, CEO of engineering firm Danfoss, which provided the motors for the ferry.
The project is supported by the European Commission's €80bn research and innovation Horizon 2020 initiative.