Echandia Selected to Supply New Battery System for Long-Range Electric Ferry

Echandia has been selected to deliver a new battery system for E/F Ellen, operated by Ærøfærgerne in Denmark. Echandia will supply a 3.2 MWh LTO battery system to replace the previous 4.3 MWh NMC system. The new system is designed for a 15-year lifetime and features multiple daily fast-charging cycles at high efficiency.

Echandia’s LTO (Lithium-Titanate Oxide) technology is well-suited for high-frequency, fast-charging RoPax ferry operations, where reliability is critical. The system supports very high C-rates, enabling over 20,000 charge cycles and charging in around 25 minutes. It is an improvement of 10 minutes per charging session.

Delivered in 2019, Ellen was the world’s first long-range, pure electric ferry and a symbol of zero-emission passenger transport. The vessel operates to and from the island of Ærø in southern Denmark. At 8 years of age, the original NMC battery system will be replaced due to uneven wear and reduced capacity. Ærøfærgerne has chosen Echandia as supplier of the new battery system following a tender. Scheduled operation with the new battery system will be in May 2026.

The replacement proves that upgrading earlier-generation batteries with modern systems is both technically and financially viable, offering longer lifetime, higher efficiency, and the highest standards of safety.