Thursday 11 June 2020

University of Plymouth helps create ‘UK’s first electric seagoing passenger boat’

The University of Plymouth has announced it will help in the development of 'the UK’s first, seagoing electric passenger vessel'.

Involving partners from across the South West, the e-Voyager project will see a new green boat built for Plymouth Boat Trips’ existing ferry routes.

Repurposed Nissan Leaf batteries will power the electric vessel.

The project is being funded through a £1.4million Maritime Research and Innovation UK (MarRI-UK) initiative supported by the Department for Transport (DfT) and launched to support the UK’s goal of zero emission shipping.

Plymouth Boat Trips’ Project Leader, Andy Hurley, said:“We’re very excited to be leading such a progressive project, to create a cleaner and more sustainable future for the industry.”

Sarah Fear, Project Manager (Impact Lab) at the University of Plymouth, added: “This is a cutting edge project and the perfect opportunity to show how the university’s scientific expertise and business support can be combined with the ingenuity of a local company.”