Electric travel

Taking an electric campervan on the ferry: is it allowed?

If you’re planning to travel to Scandinavia, the United Kingdom or a European island with an electric campervan or car, you might be wondering: are electric vehicles actually allowed on ferries?

The short answer is: yes, usually without any problems. Major ferry operators such as DFDS, Color Line, Stena Line, Scandlines, Fjord Line, TT-Line, P&O Ferries and Brittany Ferries all allow electric vehicles on board.

However, there are some exceptions that regularly make the news. Some ferry operators do not allow electric vehicles on board or impose additional requirements for fire safety reasons. So are EVs actually more of a fire risk on a ferry?

Fire safety: what are the actual risks?

Electric cars are often associated with a higher fire risk. However, the available data does not support this assumption. Research by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) shows that, when adjusted for the number of vehicles, fires currently start less frequently in electric and other alternatively powered vehicles than in conventional vehicles. However, the electric vehicle fleet is younger on average, so these figures should be interpreted with some caution.

An EV fire is not the same as a fire in a petrol or diesel vehicle. If the traction battery becomes involved, thermal runaway can occur, causing battery cells to heat up rapidly and the reaction to spread through the battery pack. This can make the fire more difficult to control.

For ferry operators, the key question is therefore whether a vessel is equipped to deal with such an incident effectively: detecting a fire early, cooling an affected battery effectively and preventing the fire from spreading to neighbouring vehicles.

Want to know more?

Read the research from the European EMSA and LASH FIRE projects.

“This is purely a safety assessment, and the conclusion of the risk analysis shows that a possible fire in fossil-fuel vehicles can be handled by the systems and the crew we have on board.”

— Bent Martini, CEO Havila Voyages

Why does Havila refuse them?

Havila Voyages (Photo: Havila Kystruten / Marius Beck Dahl) is an exception. The company operates along the Norwegian coast between Bergen and Kirkenes, but does not allow electric, hybrid or hydrogen-powered vehicles on board. Plug-in hybrids are not permitted either.

Havila commissioned an external risk assessment for its vessels. According to the ferry operator, the crew can manage a fire in a conventional vehicle using the systems available on board, whereas a serious incident involving an electric, hybrid or hydrogen-powered vehicle could require external assistance. Havila has therefore decided not to carry these vehicles.

Other ferry operators have made a different assessment and do carry EVs. Research conducted as part of the European LASH FIRE project shows that electric vehicles can be transported safely with appropriate fire protection measures and procedures in place. Havila is also not a typical car ferry operator: its coastal vessels carry relatively few cars, and transporting passenger vehicles is not a mandatory part of its service.

Greece: maximum 40% battery charge

If you are taking an electric campervan on a Greek ferry, you need to take the maximum battery charge into account. When boarding, the traction battery of a fully electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid may be charged to a maximum of 40%.

The measure is intended to limit the consequences of a potential battery fire. There is a scientific basis for this: a battery’s State of Charge (SoC) affects the behaviour of a lithium-ion battery during thermal runaway. At a higher State of Charge, more energy can be released and thermal runaway can become more severe.

However, the specific 40% limit is a precautionary measure set by the Greek authorities. Available research does not indicate that 40% represents a clear dividing line between ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’.

Practical tip: avoid automatically charging to 80 or 100% just before departure, and always check the latest requirements of the ferry operator you are travelling with.

Can you charge during the crossing?

On some ferries, you can charge your electric car or campervan during the crossing. Color Line, Finnlines and several MOLSLINJEN services, for example, offer charging on board.

This option is not yet available on every ferry. In some cases, there are only a limited number of charging spaces and these need to be reserved in advance. Always check with the ferry operator whether charging is available on your specific crossing.

Safety is also an important consideration when charging on board. As part of the European LASH FIRE project, systems have been tested that continuously monitor charging points. If an issue is detected, an individual vehicle can be disconnected from the power supply without interrupting charging for other vehicles. The temperature of vehicles being charged can also be monitored to detect potential problems at an early stage.

Practical tip: always check whether charging is available on your specific crossing. Think of charging on board as an extra rather than an essential part of your travel plans.

The ferry sector is going electric too

It is not just cars that are going electric. Ferry operators are also investing in battery-electric and hybrid vessels, shore power and alternative fuels.

Scandlines is an interesting example for travellers heading to Scandinavia. The company already operates hybrid ferries (Photo: Scandlines) and now also has a battery-electric freight ferry on the Puttgarden–Rødby route. This means that not only the drive, but part of the journey by sea can be electric too.

Interestingly, Havila Voyages, which does not allow electric cars on board, also uses large lithium-ion batteries itself. Its ships operate partly on electric power, with battery packs integrated into the vessel's design and housed in specially designed spaces with dedicated safety systems. Havila therefore does not consider battery technology on board inherently unsafe, but makes a distinction between its own integrated battery systems and vehicles carried on board.

Other ferry operators are taking different approaches to making their fleets more sustainable. Stena Line, for example, operates the Stena Germanica between Gothenburg and Kiel using methanol.

“Futura is another concrete example of how electric ferry operations is not limited to very short distances.”

— Michael Guldmann Petersen, COO Scandlines

Plan your experience

Practical tips for travelling with an electric campervan

Provide the correct dimensions. Measure the length and height including the pop-up roof, roof rack, roof box or bikes.
Check the ferry operator’s EV rules. Requirements can vary between operators and routes.
Check your battery level. On Greek ferries, the battery may be charged to a maximum of 40% when boarding.
Plan your charging around the crossing. Don’t rely solely on chargers at the ferry terminal, as they can be busy during peak periods.
Want to charge on board? Book in advance. Not every ferry has charging points and spaces may be limited.
Taking multiple ferries? Check the requirements for each crossing separately.

Road trip inspiration

Want to make the ferry part of your electric campervan adventure? A road trip through Denmark and Sweden is a great option. You can make the trip as long as you like and easily add extra ferry crossings along the way. That way, the ferry becomes more than just a way to get from A to B – it becomes part of the journey itself.

This route starts in Utrecht and takes you via Hamburg and Lübeck to Puttgarden.

From there, take a Scandlines ferry to Rødby.

Continue via Copenhagen and cross the Øresund Bridge into Sweden, with stops along the way at places such as Møns Klint, Malmö, Kullaberg and Gothenburg.

From Gothenburg, you can take a Stena Line ferry back to Frederikshavn or Kiel before continuing towards the Netherlands.

This way, you can combine a beautiful camper van road trip with some of Northern Europe’s more sustainable ferry connections.

Conclusion

Taking an electric campervan on a ferry? On almost all European ferry routes, you can do so without any problems. Major ferry operators carry electric vehicles every day, and with a little preparation, the crossing is hardly any different from travelling with a petrol or diesel vehicle.

The exceptions mainly show that ferry operators take different approaches to the specific risks associated with lithium-ion batteries. Havila Voyages chooses not to carry electric vehicles, while Greek ferries allow them but impose a maximum battery charge. At the same time, the available data does not suggest that electric cars are more likely to catch fire. However, a fire can be more complex to manage if the traction battery becomes involved.

Before you travel, check your ferry operator’s requirements, plan your charging stops and provide the correct dimensions of your camper van. With those basics covered, there is little standing in the way of taking your electric camper van on the ferry.