The award-winning, fully-electric passenger ferry in Wellington, Ika Rere, has proven so efficient that its operator, East By West Ferries, has brought forward its order of a second electric vessel.
Recognising the huge interest from other ferry operators both in Australasia and around the world, East By West wanted to secure a built slot for its next ferry with boat builder, WEBBCo.
Having exceeded performance expectations in terms of speed, range, energy use and charging speed, Ika Rere has wowed those involved in the project and impressed passengers with its quiet, smooth (and fast!) voyage experience.
As fuel costs rise to staggering levels globally, East By West is reaping the benefits of the 132 pax electric vessel, with incremental route energy costs being slashed by 82%: a return trip to Days Bay on Ika Rere costs just $28 in electricity, slightly higher than one adult passenger fare. This equates to cost savings of $180,000 per year when compared to their diesel boats doing the same journey.
By adding another electric vessel to the fleet, East by West will be able to run their entire existing schedule using the two fully-electric ferries.
With greater onboard energy storage, a second fully-electric ferry is set to save the operator a further $280,000 per year in overall energy costs, and allow redeployment of its existing ferries to start a basic service for commuters to and from the Miramar peninsula (itself then providing a basis for a further 2-3 electric ferries).
This has been one of the driving factors for East By West seeking further investment in order to secure a second fully-electric vessel.
The second electric vessel will be a sistership to Ika Rere, and run on the existing route between Queens Wharf – Matiu/Somes Island – and Days Bay. It will carry 132 passengers; however, it will be equipped with a newer iteration of battery technology, enhancing onboard energy storage. Both vessels will be charged at Queens Wharf, with the potential to expand charging infrastructure to use the newly released Megawatt Charging Standard (MCS), which is also being considered within the project.
