The Medstraum fast ferry, which actually runs on electricity, has been taken out of service due to serious problems with its batteries. In order to keep the route running, the shipping company is switching to diesel.
A Norwegian fast ferry that was supposed to run on electricity has had so many problems that the shipping company is now switching to a diesel solution.
The electric ferry "Medstraum", one of the world's first of its kind, has proven unable to live up to the expectations placed on it.
The ferry, which sails for the shipping company Fjord1, has had and still has major challenges with battery capacity.
This has meant that the shipping company cannot maintain the planned sailing. Fjord1 has therefore chosen to temporarily switch to diesel operation. The hope is that this will make the route more stable.
The problems arose when the ferry began sailing longer than initially planned. The increased operating time put a strain on the battery pack, which resulted in an unforeseen drop in capacity.
According to Teknisk Ukeblad, capacity had dropped to 84 percent when the electric ferry was taken out of service. The drop meant that the ferry had to be charged much more often than planned. And that it ultimately became too impractical to continue with electric operation.
The technology director at Fjord1 explains that the battery system is designed for a specific load and a fixed cycle of charging and discharging. So when the ferry suddenly had to sail more than originally planned, the batteries 'gave up'.
Therefore, the shipping company has decided to temporarily use a diesel-powered ferry as a replacement until a more permanent unloading location is found.
Several experts point out that batteries for electric vehicles are designed for a very precise operating mode. When the pressure increases significantly, the batteries wear out faster. This not only affects their lifespan, but also their performance.
Lars Ole Valoen, technology director at Corvus Energy, which has supplied the batteries to "Medstraum", explains that it is crucial to respect the limits to which the battery packs are built.
– When you push batteries beyond their original specifications, you risk significantly reducing their lifespan, he says.
However, the shipping company is working on a long-term solution, either upgrading the battery capacity or changing the operating model so that the ferry crossing becomes electric again.
"Medstraum" was originally launched as one of the world's first electric fast ferries. The goal was to gain knowledge about how electric ferry navigation is suitable for shorter distances.
However, the challenges with battery capacity show that technological development still has certain limitations, especially when operating conditions change along the way.
