Brisbane leads the charge in electric ferry race

Brisbane is at the forefront of sustainable travel, launching a $435,000 study into the feasibility of electric ferries ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The River City could lead the way in sustainable travel after the Brisbane City Council announced funding for feasibility studies into a battery-powered vessel named the EVCat.

The $435,000 study will be conducted with two of Rivergate’s onsite contractors – ferry operators, River City Ferries and local ship builders, Aus Ships.

The concept has been put forward ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to create an electric ferry service to cater for cross-river services, such as the Bulimba to Teneriffe route. The EVCat will have the ability to transfer up to 80 passengers (58 seated, 22 standing) on the Brisbane River. Powered by rooftop solar panels, the proposed catamaran vessel is 15 meters long and is expected to be sized in-between the existing KittyKats and CityCats.

Following the successful trial of two electric ferries in Sydney, which revealed the technology could save up to 40,000 litres of fuel each year, there has been a call for the implementation of more electric vehicles across the country.

Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said that if the study and implementation of the EVCat is successful, Brisbane City Council will investigate the introduction of lower emission vessels across the city.

“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,” Cr Schrinner said.

“I’m committed to building a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable Brisbane and the EVCat is another demonstration of our team’s commitment to sustainability.”

With $35 million of Council’s 2023-24 Budget dedicated towards new and improved ferry terminals, this feasibility study is yet another exciting step towards cleaner waterways and sustainable commuting in Brisbane.