BC Ferries Selects Corvus Energy to Supply Record-Breaking Battery System
On August 18, 2026, British Columbia Ferry Services (BC Ferries) announced it had selected Corvus Energy to supply battery systems for its four new Summit Class hybrid-electric ferries. The agreement includes a total of 40 MWh of Dolphin NxtGen battery systems, with each ferry equipped with 10 MWh, positioning them among the highest-capacity battery-powered ferries in the world. Fredrik Witte, CEO of Corvus Energy, stated that the batteries were developed at the company’s Product Development Hub in Vancouver, BC, featuring liquid-cooled power cells with improved energy density and enhanced safety architecture compared to previous generations.
Corvus Energy will deliver 10 MWh of base battery capacity per vessel, with infrastructure sized to support an additional 60 MWh per ferry, allowing for a total potential capacity of 70 MWh per vessel. The company noted that the expanded capacity will enable the ferries to operate nearly emission-free for up to two hours in all-electric mode without requiring major structural modifications. This design is intended to facilitate a future transition to fully electric operation, though actual range will depend on operational conditions.
Summit Class Ferry Design and Environmental Benefits
The four Summit Class ferries—named Summit Arbutus, Summit Cedar, Summit Maple, and Summit Spruce—were designed by Norway’s LMG Marin and are being constructed by China Merchants Shipbuilding Industry Group’s Weihai Shipyard. Each double-ended ferry will have the capacity to transport up to 360 vehicles and 2,100 passengers and crew, and they are expected to serve routes along British Columbia’s coastal waters to enhance capacity and service reliability.