Arya News - Noting that river boats are mostly deployed in the evenings and at night, Pyxis founder and chief executive Tommy Phun said the solar-powered vessels can harvest the sun’s energy when they are on standby in the afternoon.
SINGAPORE – Solar-powered electric boats will soon ply the Singapore River, with two of 10 such vessels going into service by April 2025.
Manufactured by local maritime start-up Pyxis, these new solar-powered river boats named Pyxis R ferries will replace half of river cruise operator WaterB’s fleet of 20 boats by the end of 2025.
The remaining eight solar-powered boats will be delivered one by one “almost every other month” for the rest of the year, Pyxis founder and chief executive Tommy Phun told The Straits Times.
He said the solar panels on each river boat can generate about 22 kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity per day, adding that the daily combined electricity generated by 10 boats’ solar panels would be sufficient to power 20 HDB flats for a day.
Noting that river boats are mostly deployed in the evenings and at night, Mr Phun said the solar-powered vessels can harvest the sun’s energy when they are on standby in the afternoon.
He added that the amount of power required to operate each Pyxis R ferry is equivalent to that needed to run three to four hairdryers, and the solar panels can help reduce the boat’s reliance on Singapore’s electricity grid.
In addition, Pyxis R ferries are one of the first boats in Singapore to have vehicle-to-grid technology – a system which allows vessels to return excess renewable energy to the grid, said Mr Phun.
So, having 10 of such ferries on the Singapore River is similar to having a “floating solar farm” on a hot, sunny afternoon, he added.
He envisions that by incorporating vehicle-to-grid technology into the system, the Pyxis R ferries can power micro-waterfront projects, such as events on floating piers, so that besides transporting passengers, they also serve the areas they operate in.
In March 2024, Pyxis launched a series of electric workboats to ferry workers between Marina South Pier and nearby anchorages.
While there is currently no available infrastructure that allows for vehicle-to-grid charging for maritime vessels, an agreement to test solutions for such a working model in Singapore was signed on March 17.
The agreement was signed by Pyxis Maritime, utilities company SP Group subsidiary SP Mobility, electric mobility solutions provider The Mobility House Asia Pacific and WaterB.
WaterB director Darren Tan said the 48-seater solar-powered ferries would help to cut his company’s long-term operating costs by 30 to 40 per cent because the energy generated can power at least 50 per cent of its daily operations, even on a rainy day.
Passengers can book a river cruise on the Pyxis R ferries – which ply between Clarke Quay, Boat Quay and Marina Bay – at WaterB’s website or at any of its ticketing kiosks. It costs $28 per adult and $18 per child.
Mr Tan added that WaterB currently runs 60 to 80 trips each day, and he does not envision passenger numbers to increase significantly in the near future.
But the addition of these new ferries aligns with WaterB’s commitment to offer sustainable tourism, as they have less impact on the environment, he said.
Moreover, the ride will be more pleasant for passengers as the electric ferry is quieter and more stable on the water, added Mr Tan.
Speaking at the launch event held at the ArtScience Museum on March 17, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Baey Yam Keng congratulated Pyxis and WaterB on the launch of Pyxis R, adding that its vehicle-to-grid capabilities support a more resilient and efficient ecosystem.
“This vessel is a testament to our maritime sector’s ability to blend tradition with cutting-edge technology, demonstrating that clean energy solutions can be both functional and commercially viable,” he added.