EV Charging on Ferries and in Terminals—A Business Model Perspective

Abstract

Ferry operators in Sweden provide transportation for tens of millions of people annually. As electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more commonplace, ferries and ferry terminals seem like suitable places for providing charging services. However, high costs and low occupancy rates means that it is challenging to design profitable business models for charging services in general. This paper reports on a market review of the charging services that ferry operators in Sweden provide and a case study of suitable business model design elements for operators that intend to offer charging on board or in terminals. While only two of fifteen ferry operators offer EV charging on board, four more operators indicated that they were planning to provide such services in the near future. Nine operators offered charging in or close to ferry terminals. The results also indicate that business model design focuses primarily on safety, leading to higher costs for onboard charging due to hardware and staffing costs. Investments also tend to incorporate costs which are not specific to onboard charging but rather the general safety requirements associated with EVs. Finally, poor profitability makes future development dependent on managerial efforts to reduce costs and improve revenue as well as supportive policies such as investment subsidies.