Kiel's Future includes Autonomous, Electric Water Taxis
"WaveLab" rendering. Image credit Gebrüder Friedrich Shipyard
Torqeedo rudder propeller-type steerable thruster. Image courtesy Torqueedo
“Wavelab” will be an advanced testbed for sustainable urban mobility technologies
Torqeedo won a contract to supply a complete electric drive train for an autonomous boat in the German city of Kiel. Dubbed “Wavelab”, the electric vessel will serve as a research platform for the “Clean Autonomous Public Transport Network” (CAPTN) initiative in Kiel. The program aims to create the infrastructure for an integrated inner-city mobility network based on multiple modes of transport on water and land.
“Wavelab” will be built by the Gebrüder Friedrich shipyard in Kiel and is scheduled to be delivered by the end of 2022. Torqeedo's scope of delivery includes dual 50 kW Deep Blue steerable thrusters and six Deep Blue lithium-ion batteries with a total capacity of 240 kWh. Four Power 24-3500 batteries supply the 24V onboard grid. The system is completed by a 22kW fast charger, DC/DC converter and DC/AC converter.
Image courtesy Torqeedo
