Electric Foiling Ferry Revolution Takes Off Down Under!
Image Credit: Vessev.
Yours truly, reporting live (virtually, of course, because, you know, journalism) from the electrifying world of maritime marvels! And things are getting positively electric down in New Zealand. Your average, run-of-the-mill ferry is as good as gone. We're talking about a vessel that flies! Like a graceful, silent, electric albatross soaring above the sparkling waters of Auckland's Waitematā Harbour.
This beauty isn't chugging along with a plume of diesel smoke. This, my friends, is the Vessev VS-9, nicknamed "Kermadec," and it's the bee's knees of electric propulsion. It's so cutting-edge it makes my neighbor's Tesla look like a horse-drawn carriage. And honestly, it's about time! I mean, we've got electric cars, electric planes (well, almost), so why not electric ferries that skim across the water?
This is different. This is exciting. It's the future of transportation, and it's happening now. This whole shebang started with the America's Cup back in 2013. Remember those crazy foiling yachts zipping around like they were defying gravity? Well, someone had the bright idea to take that technology and apply it to something a little more… practical. And voila! The VS-9 was born.
Image Credit: Vessev.
Kermadec, this sleek, 29.3-foot long beauty, can carry up to ten passengers, plus a skipper and a deckhand. It really is a private jet for the harbor. And the interior? Oh, it's swanky. Panoramic windows offer breathtaking views of the harbor, the bridge, and the Gulf. You'll feel like you're floating on a cloud… a very fast, very electric cloud.
And this thing is quiet. No rumbling diesel engines, no obnoxious fumes. Just the gentle hum of electric motors and the whisper of the wind as you glide across the water at 25 knots (nearly 29 mph), with a top speed of 30 knots. It's so smooth, so serene, it's more like flying than sailing. With a range of 57 miles on a single charge, there are plenty of electrons to cross the harbor many times. And when it's time to juice up, the VS-9 supports 90 kW fast charging, meaning quick turnarounds and minimal downtime.
Image Credit: Vessev.
All this sounds too good to be true. What's the catch? Well, there's no catch, really. It's just… progress. It's innovation. It's the future, and it's here. And frankly, I'm thrilled. Because we need to embrace electric technology. And this, my friends, is a giant leap in the right direction.
The Kermadec is operated by Fuller360, New Zealand's largest ferry operator, and it's a major step towards its goal of being net zero by 2040. And they're not stopping there. There is already a bigger, 100-seater version called the VS-18 in the works.
So, if you're ever in Auckland, make sure you take a ride on the Kermadec. I bet it's an experience you won't forget. I always believed that one day we all will be flying around in electric ferries, saving the planet one nautical mile at a time. And that day just got much closer.
