Europe’s first hybrid high speed passenger ferry, the Earth Clipper, has started operating through central London, allowing Uber Boats passengers to make more eco-friendly journeys along the River Thames.
The first of three battery-powered ferries – which emit zero tailpipe emissions and achieve an almost 90% reduction in CO2e compared with using conventional diesel alone – will form part of Thames Clippers’ partnership with Uber.
The high-speed catamarans will operate solely on battery power while transporting commuters and sightseers through London, before recharging using bio-fuelled power outside of central London.
Throughout the whole journey, the ferries will reduce emissions by 16.5% compared with running on biofuel alone, making significant strides in improving the sustainability credentials of the Uber Boat by Thames Clippers fleet.
Subscribe to Sustainability Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest sustainability news sent straight to your inbox each morning
Earth Clipper will be joined by two further hybrid vessels – Celestial and Mars Clipper – later this year, as the business works towards its targets of reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and net zero by 2040.
The business also plans to invest £70 million in a new fleet by 2030, with hybrid vessels as a minimum and fully electrified or zero emission technology where possible.
“This is a momentous day for us, and something we’ve been working towards for some time” said Uber Boat by Thames Clippers co-founder and CEO Sean Collins.
“Being able to offer greener transport through the capital is no small feat but something we’re incredibly passionate about,” he continued.
“We are committed to not only utilising the most advanced technology to drive down our carbon footprint, but also to playing our part in breaking new ground to advance that technology as much as we can. The new boats push the boundaries in catamaran design to deliver a future-friendly option that can be made even greener as and when technology allows.”
In addition to the three hybrid catamarans, work is also under way to deliver London’s first fully electric zero emission cross river ferry by the spring of 2025 – the first of its kind in the UK.
