First car ferry powered by electric drive system
Together with the Norwegian shipyard Fjellstrand, Siemens has developed the world's first electrically powered car ferry. The 80-meter vessel can carry 120 cars and 360 passengers. From 2015 onward, it will serve the route between Lavik and Oppedal, across the Sognefjord. The ship's batteries will be recharged in the breaks between crossings, a procedure which only takes 10 minutes. The vessel currently serving this route uses on average one million liters of diesel a year and emits 570 metric tons of carbon dioxide and 15 metric tons of nitrogen oxides. The electrically powered ferry was developed for submission to a competition organized by Norway's Ministry of Transport. As a reward for winning the competition, the shipping company Norled has been granted the license to operate the route until 2025.