The world’s largest all-electric ferry, named E-ferry Ellen, made its first commercial trip on 15 August, connecting the ports of Søby and Fynshav, on the islands of Aerø and Als, in southern Denmark.





Capable of carrying approximately 30 vehicles and 200 passengers, is powered by a 4.3MWh battery system provided by Leclanché SA.

E-ferry Ellen, a single-ended, drive-through Ro-Ro passenger ferry with one continuous main deck for trailers and cars, is expected to be fully operational within a few weeks. The E-ferry is part of the Danish Natura project, which aims to provide environmentally friendly transport for local residents. This project was initiated in 2015 and was funded by the European Union through the Horizon 2020 and Innovation Program.

We are very proud to provide specifically designed unique lithium-ion battery system to this ferry, the precursor to a new era in the commercial marine sector. With its 4.3MWh capacity, the E-ferry represents a new milestone in commercial marine propulsion. Over one year, it will prevent the release of 2000 tonnes of CO 2 , 42 tonnes of NO x , 2.5 tonnes of particulates and 1.4 tonnes of SO 2 into the atmosphere. This project demonstrates that today we can replace fossil fuel thermal drives with clean energy, and thus contribute to the fight against global warming and pollution for the well-being of our communities. —Anil Srivastava, CEO of Leclanché

The battery system supplied by Leclanché uses high-energy G-NMC lithium-ion cells with unique safety features, including a bi-cellular laminated design and ceramic separators.

Leclanché specifically designs and engineers a Class Type Approved and Certified Marine Rack Systems (MRS) including Fire prevention and extinguishing systems.

The project has received the DNV-GL Type Approval Certificate and the DNV-GL Product Certificate.

The Swiss company develops and manufactures its own graphite/NMC (nickel-manganese cobalt lithium oxide) and LTO (titanate lithium oxide) cells. The parallel and redundant battery and powertrain systems make the E-ferry a safe and reliable vessel.