Torqeedo and ZF cooperate on new emission-free electric propulsion for water taxis and ferries
Torqeedo says it has established with ZF a partnership to drive electric mobility for sustainable waterborne passenger transport. The companies will integrate ZF’s steerable thrusters into Torqeedo’s revolutionary Deep Blue system. These quiet 50 kW and 100 kW electric propulsion systems offer excellent manoeuvrability and joystick docking, while eliminating the harmful local emissions and reducing an operation’s overall carbon footprint.
Electric mobility is an important emerging trend in urban mobility and passenger transport due to climate change and declining air quality. In land transport, electric buses already make up approximately 13% of the market and it is predicted they will be 80% of the market by 2030. Also on the water, the interest in switching to electric propulsion for passenger transport is high.
Combustion engines employed in urban ferries and water taxis are heavily polluting. Emissions amount to up to 100 times the level of harmful substances permitted from diesel engines used in buses and land transport. Electric-powered urban ferries and water taxis completely eliminate these harmful local emissions and reduce the operation’s climate impact from between 30% to 90%.
Switching to electric is also a smart business choice for most commercial operations because fuel and engine maintenance costs are vastly reduced, lowering the total cost of ownership.
“ZF Group strategy supports transition towards electric mobility in all market segments, from automotive to off-road applications. Accordingly, ZF is continuing to expand its portfolio of environment-friendly marine propulsion solutions; the new fully electric propulsion system will combine ZF’s Steerable Pod Propulsion system (SPP) and Torqeedo technology steering to a cleaner mobility and a more sustainable future. The system will make docking not only intuitive and relaxed, but also emission and noise-free,” said Federico Decio, Vice President ZF Marine Pleasure Craft, ZF Friedrichshafen AG.
“Cities around the world have announced their intentions to take their waterways emission-free. By integrating steerable thrusters into the Deep Blue family of products, ZF and Torqeedo are prepared to help cities build the public transport systems of tomorrow,” said Dr. Christoph Ballin, CEO and co-founder of Torqeedo GmbH.
The cooperation agreement was recently signed, and the companies plan to launch their first products by the end of this year.
About Torqeedo
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 characterized 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. www.torqeedo.com
About ZF
ZF is a global technology company and supplies systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology, enabling the next generation of mobility. With its comprehensive technology portfolio, the company offers integrated solutions for established vehicle manufacturers, mobility providers and start-up companies in the fields of transportation and mobility. ZF continually enhances its systems in the areas of digital connectivity and automation in order to allow vehicles to see, think and act.
The company has a global workforce of 149,000 with approximately 230 locations in 40 countries. In 2018, ZF achieved sales of €36.9 billion. ZF invests over six percent of its sales in research and development annually.
