Sightseeing vessel is the first in Berlin to be electrified by Torqeedo
Oranje Nassau, a 20-meter, 55-passenger sightseeing boat and water taxi operating on Berlin’s urban waterways was recently put back into service after replacing its diesel engine with a fully integrated all-electric propulsion system by Torqeedo, according to the company's release.
The Torqeedo Deep Blue 50i electric drive is powered by three Deep Blue batteries with 120 kWh capacity which provide energy for a full eight-hour day at operating speeds, recharging from shorepower connections overnight at dockside.
Electrification improves local air quality. When the city measured the fine particle pollution caused by urban water transportation, the concentration of fine particles on the inner-city banks of the Spree River was up to 15 times higher than the legal limit. The managing director of Berliner Wassertaxi, André Siebach, is already making plans to convert the other two tour boats in his fleet with the same Torqeedo propulsion package.
The German capital has eleven navigable waterways totaling 200 kilometers in length, including the Spree and Havel rivers and the Landwehr Canal, and there are more than 40 companies active on the city’s urban waters, generating a turnover of 200 million Euros a year.
Torqeedo is the market leader for electric mobility on the water. Founded in 2005 in Starnberg, the company develops and manufactures electric and hybrid drives from 0.5 to 100 kW for commercial applications and recreational use. Torqeedo products are characterised by an uncompromising high-tech focus, maximum efficiency and complete system integration. Torqeedo is part of DEUTZ Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of innovative drive systems.
