Brisbanites could become the latest Australians to commute on electric ferries after the local council revealed plans to launch a $435,000 study into the zero-emission vessels.
If approved, the battery-powered catamarans, dubbed EVCats, could transport up to 80 passengers around a bend in the Brisbane River between Bulimba and Teneriffe.
The study will follow a trial of two electric ferries in Sydney and comes amid calls to introduce more electric vessels in NSW and Queensland.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner announced the investigation into electric ferries as part of the council’s 2024 budget.
He said the proposed EVCats would be “larger than a KittyCat but smaller than a CityCat” at 15 metres long and would provide seats for 58 passengers and standing room for another 22 people.
“With almost 2.5 million trips taken on a CityCat or KittyCat a year, we need to start considering ways to make our fleet more sustainable in the future,” Mr Schrinner said.
“If successful, the sky is the limit for electric-powered vessels which could one day mean Brisbane has a fully electric river fleet.”
Brisbane’s electric ferries could also feature rooftop solar panels and a catamaran design and would be operated by two crew between Bulimba in the city’s south and Teneriffe on the northside.
If feasible, EVCats could deliver new transport options for the city’s 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Mr Schrinner said.
The council study follows a proposal to the Brisbane Committee by University of Sunshine Coast tourism lecturer Aaron Tham, who said an electric ferry service should operate between Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast during the Games.
Electric ferries have already been tested in Australian waters, with Sydney trialling two small electric vessels on a route between Barangaroo and Pyrmont in 2021.
The technology was designed to save 40,000 litres of diesel fuel each year.
While the trial has since ended, not-for-profit group New Sydney Waterfront Company last month expressed interest in launching a free ferry service using similar ferries between Walsh Bay, Barangaroo, Pyrmont and Blackwattle Bay in Sydney’s western harbour.
The proposals also follow an analysis by the NSW Transport and Infrastructure Committee late last year that found electric ferries had the potential to improve passenger comfort, cut transport emissions and reduce diesel fuel costs by 25 to 70 per cent.
But the researchers warned the technology was early in its development and creating large batteries and charging facilities would present “significant technological and operational challenges” for transport providers.
Electric ferries are widely used in European countries including Norway and Denmark.
New Zealand launched its first electric ferry in Wellington in late 2021, with more planned for Auckland next year.