Swedish marine battery supplier Echandia has introduced the next generation of its Ultra battery system, designed for high-power, high-cycle vessel operations such as ferries and hybrid propulsion systems.
The updated Echandia Ultra platform builds on the company’s lithium-titanate-oxide (LTO) battery technology, which is engineered for ultra-fast charging and long service life in demanding marine duty cycles. According to the company, the new generation focuses on fast charging capability, consistent performance over time, simplified system integration, and reduced lifecycle cost for vessel operators.
Echandia said the system’s design avoids the need for complex liquid-cooling systems, instead relying on an air-cooled architecture intended to reduce installation complexity and improve reliability for shipyards and operators.
The technology has been operating in service since 2020 on a fleet of electric ferries in Copenhagen. Echandia reports that the battery systems installed aboard seven commuter ferries retain more than 98% of their capacity after six years of operation.
Those vessels operate up to 17 hours per day and charge in approximately six minutes at each stop, repeating the cycle as many as 17 times daily throughout the year. The demanding operating profile was a key factor in the development of the updated system, according to the company.
“Customers are asking tougher questions about operational proof and lifetime economics,” said Torbjörn Bäck, CEO of Echandia. “The next generation of Echandia Ultra is our answer to that market reality. It is built for repeated high-power operation, straightforward integration and dependable performance over time.”
The system is aimed primarily at ferries and hybrid vessels that require rapid charging and frequent cycling during daily operations. In these applications, short charging windows and repeated high-power discharge cycles place significant demands on battery systems.
“In high-cycle ferry operations, every minute matters,” said Felix Backgård, technical sales manager at Echandia. “You need fast charging, stable power delivery and a system architecture that remains manageable for both shipyard and operator.”
Echandia said its systems have received maritime type approvals from major classification societies including DNV and Bureau Veritas, a step the company says helps streamline deployment for shipyards and operators adopting battery-powered or hybrid vessel designs.
