Daring pitch for high-speed electric CityCats
A push is underway to transition Brisbane’s iconic City Cat ferry fleet to battery power in time for the 2032 Games.
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An electrical boat designer has proposed transitioning Brisbane’s iconic City Cat ferry fleet to battery power in time for the 2032 Games, with promises of high-speed zero-emission vessels.
Design company EV Maritime has partnered with Brisbane-based boat builders Norman Wright and Sons to develop a 200-seat vessel capable of transporting passengers the length of the ferry route from St Lucia to Northshore Hamilton.
EV Maritime is scheduled to provide two fully electric fast ferries to service the New Zealand city of Auckland next year, with company spokesman James Thomas detailing the company’s plan to convert the CityCat fleet at a Smart Energy conference in Brisbane on Tuesday.
He said the boats, made of carbon-fibre to reduce the total weight of the vessels, charge while docked as passengers embark and disembark.
Transitioning the 30 vessel fleet in Brisbane would be equivalent to removing the emissions of 700 diesel buses, Mr Thomas said.
“The technology is well proven, albeit in slow boats initially,” Mr Thomas said.
“What EV Maritime is doing that is different – and important for decarbonising ferry services in this part of the world – is developing high speed boats.
“Auckland is on track to a fully decarbonised ferry fleet by 2035.”
Transport Minister Mark Bailey attended the Smart Energy conference and said the state government “supports opportunities to explore new and emerging technologies”.
“The procurement of CityCats is a matter for the Brisbane City Council as they are City Council assets,” he said.
“My office has met with EV Maritime and I saw a presentation by an EV Marine speaker this afternoon on their work in New Zealand which was of interest.”
The council has already plotted a path to partially transition its ferry fleet, with plans announced in June to fund the development of a solar-powered EVCat to accommodate 58 seated and 22 standing passengers.
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