Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL) has a 38% share of the global electric vehicle (EV) market. South China Morning Post confirms that CATL also supplies batteries to about 40% of the electric vessel market. But Gotion backed by Volkswagen has a trick up its sleeve. Its Puffer Fish Blue 01 swaps batteries in a fraction of the time it takes to recharge them.
Puffer Fish Blue 01 Sizes Up
The Puffer Fish Blue 01 dual-use bulk carrier / container ship is not a tadpole. The working vessel serving the Yangtze River is 292 feet / 89 meters long, with a 43 foot / 13 meter beam according to Baird Maritime.
This arrangement provides cargo space for a choice of 132 standard 20-foot containers, or weight-equivalent cargo. Batteries for this load would typically take five to eight hours to recharge. But not on this innovative battery vessel.
The Puffer Fish Blue 01 swaps its batteries out in 30 minutes plus / minus, without requiring specialized port infrastructure. This massively reduces time in port, lowers cost, and improves voyage efficiency.
More About Puffer’s Swappable Batteries
There are six rechargeable batteries on the electric vessel, each weighing four tons. Baird Maritime says their standardized design helps reduce life-cycle costs by 20%. The vessel itself is also state-of-art, with automatic collision avoidance, and automatic berthing and un-berthing systems.
Being able to swap out the six, 430 kilowatt-hour four-ton plug-in batteries is a distinct advantage. Many inland ports in China lack suitable charging infrastructure. This has delayed the roll out of electric cargo vessels that are part of China’s green energy plan.
The batteries themselves have been performing well, and coping with salt spray, vibration, temperature changes, and other external forces. The vessel functions well with fewer batteries on shorter journeys.
The Puffer Fish Blue 01 that swaps out batteries, boasts an energy efficient design that reduces drag. Vehicle-grade motors provide an alternative means of propulsion, and back-up energy in the event this becomes necessary.
More Information
Fully Electric Yara Birkeland Container Vessel
Full Battery Power Vessel from China
