Torqeedo masterminds German emission-free river cruises

Torqeedo, a leading manufacturer of electric and hybrid drives for the marine market, has been commissioned by Eichberger Schiffservice to provide a fully integrated electric propulsion system for a demonstrator of a luxurious and innovative houseboat, named ‘Kingfisher’, developed by Eichberger.

A fuel cell from Argo-Anleg and solar panels will also be integrated, so tourists who rent the ‘Kingfisher’ can look forward to a multi-day, 100 per cent emission-free travel experience on Germany’s inland waterways.

Eichberger Schiffservice is a service provider in the river cruise industry.

Matthias Vogel, senior vice president of customised solutions at Torqeedo, says: “Eichberger Schiffservice has recognised that tourists are increasingly looking for more sustainable holiday options. At Torqeedo, we are delighted to deliver our electric drive systems for a pioneering project such as the Kingfisher. As a provider of comprehensive system solutions, one of Torqeedo’s core competencies is the integration of solar and hydrogen technologies into the ship’s propulsion system to achieve the desired range. Eichberger Schiffservice is setting new standards in tourism with us, and together, we are showing that luxury and sustainability do not have to be a contradiction in terms.”

Energy from solar power and hydrogen combustion

The idea for the development of the Kingfisher originated with Eichberger Schiffsservice. The Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy, as part of the Bavarian Energy Research Programme, has financially supported the project.

The Kiebitzberg shipyard in Havelberg is responsible for building the Kingfisher demonstrator, which will be equipped with the Deep Blue 50i engine and Deep Blue battery 80 with a capacity of 80kWh from Torqeedo. The integrated fuel cell from Argo-Anleg enables a completely energy self sufficient stay on the water for several days with a daily travel time of four hours. The prototype will also be equipped with solar panels on the houseboat’s wide roofs, which can generate additional energy of up to 3kW per hour during longer periods of mooring.  

Electric river cruise prototype

“Thanks to Torqeedo’s many years of experience with pioneering propulsion systems, we can realise our vision of hydrogen propulsion for smaller charter boats. As hydrogen propulsion systems are still quite new on the water, we are working with our engineers and the relevant authorities to develop guidelines during the testing phase. Our goal is to ensure safe use on the water,” explains Manfred Eichberger from Eichberger Schiffservice. 

The demonstrator charter houseboat is scheduled to be completed by September 2024, followed by an extensive test phase on the river. After its test phase, the Kingfisher will go into trial operation and lay the foundation for the series development of up to ten units, with the aim of expanding Eichberger Schiffservice’s portfolio to include emission-free charter houseboats in the future.