Toyota Prius cars are a pretty common sight on Washington streets and highways, and prototypes exist for electric trucks and airplanes. Electric-powered ferries could be next.
Part of the 2018 state transportation budget recently signed by Gov. Jay Inslee includes funds to look into converting some of the ferry fleet, reports Northwest News Network.
The Legislature gave $600,000 to Washington State Ferries to explore converting three of the ferries from diesel to hybrid electric propulsion. The three ferries being proposed for conversation are the Tacoma, Wenatchee, and Puyallup, which serve the Bainbridge and Edmonds-Kingston runs.
“We’ve done pre-design studies already to look at the vessels, terminals and the charging of the vessels,” Matt von Ruden, Director of Vessels with Washington State Ferries told Northwest News Network. “So we’re ready now to move forward to actually engage industry on the solution.”
Ruden says massive banks of batteries would be installed below the deck of the three largest vessels of the fleet. Ruden says technology has advanced where battery power alone could propel a jumbo ferry across the Puget Sound. Some converted ferries, however, would still have backup diesel generators on board.
A WSF spokesperson said we could potentially start riding electric-powered ferries in five years.
