SL’s electric ferry runs largely on diesel, investigation finds

Stockholm’s award-winning electric ferry Sjövägen is running largely on diesel, an investigation has found, challenging the environmental claims made for the public transport vessel.

TV4’s Kalla fakta made ten trips over seven days and reported that diesel generators powered the ferry every time. Its sources said the batteries store little electricity and that diesel supplies most of the vessel’s power.

Operator Rederi Ballerina told the programme that its contract with SL does not require electric operation. It said the batteries are maintained according to the supplier’s instructions.

Sjövägen received the county’s environmental award in 2015 and was showcased during a 2023 EU visit on sustainable public transport.

The investigation also found separate problems with exhaust treatment on Ballerina’s diesel ferries. SL’s figures showed long periods with little or no use of urea, the fluid needed by their nitrogen-oxide treatment systems.

Ballerina acknowledged exhaust-treatment problems on six vessels and said it was working on a solution. SL declined an interview with the programme.

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