Image: HykeAlthough the passenger electric ferry space has lately been dominated by the Swedish company Candela and the New Zealand firm Vessev, with their eye-catching electric hydrofoil boats, Norwegian company Hyke has spent the past few years working quietly behind the scenes. They’re now starting to see results: Hyke’s 15-metre battery-electric ferry for 50 passengers, introduced in 2023, has successfully completed a demanding and lengthy pilot.The electric vessel, named the Hyke F-15 Shuttle, operated daily on the Bekkhus–Vaterland route within Fredrikstad’s urban transport network from April 2024 to July 2025. During this period, it carried over 41,000 passengers. However, the operation did not run as smoothly as Hyke’s recent press release might suggest. According to Fredrikstad Municipality, the ferry was ‘significantly underutilised due to operational challenges’, and passenger numbers declined over time. The project, originally scheduled to run from April 2024 to April 2025, was extended by three months to gather more robust statistical data.The trial in Fredrikstad focused on a very short route of just 225 metres across the Glomma River, which flows through the city. The aim was for Hyke and Fredrikstad Municipality to demonstrate that the electric passenger ferry could be effectively integrated into high-frequency urban public transport. The project was always intended to be time-limited and was embedded within the EU-funded SUM (Seamless Urban Mobility) initiative, in which Fredrikstad serves as one of nine ‘Living Labs’ under the Horizon Europe programme.“The project shows that our urban waters can be used much more efficiently. Instead of digging tunnels or building bridges, which are hugely costly, electric ferries can quickly be deployed to shuttle large numbers of passengers,” says Halvor Vislie, CEO of Hyke. “Together with Fredrikstad Municipality, we’ve demonstrated that Hyke F-15 can operate as part of everyday public transport — efficiently, quietly, and with strong passenger acceptance.”With up to 88 per cent lower energy consumption than diesel vessels, the Hyke F-15 Shuttle sets new standards in efficiency, according to the company. Its power consumption is roughly equivalent to that of five household hairdryers.The Hyke F-15 Shuttle is a battery-electric passenger vessel designed for up to 50 people, developed for short urban routes and municipal public transport. The ferry combines lightweight construction with an energy-efficient powertrain, enabling extended operation with minimal energy consumption. The vessel weighs approximately 12 tonnes and has a gross battery capacity of 188 kWh. Given its low energy consumption of 10–12 kWh per hour, the manufacturer states that it can operate for around 10 hours per charge.hykeelectricferries.com, fredrikstad.kommune.no (Norwegian)
