Can you Travel on a Ferry with Your Electric Car?

Generally speaking, you should have no problem transporting an electric car by ferry. The majority of the major operators between the UK and mainland Europe allow EV ferry travel, and won’t treat the car any differently to an internal combustion engine (ICE) car. In fact, you may even find that some operators offer discounts for EVs, making it cheaper to cross the Channel in an electric car.

However, they may have some specific ferry rules for electric vehicles or practices in place. For example, some operators may put electric vehicles in different lanes on the car deck to non-EVs due to their heavier weights, in order to better balance the overall weight of the vessel. You may also find that the operator applies a sticker to your car labelling it as an EV, which will likely be to help the crew identify it easier.

If you intend to get a ferry somewhere within Europe during your travels, you should make sure to check in advance that the operator allows EVs on their ferries, as smaller operators may be strict on what types of vehicles they can carry.

When it comes to booking your electric car for a ferry, it’s usually simply a case of selecting ‘EV’ in a drop-down menu to inform the operator. This gives them advanced notice so they can better plan the layout of the car deck prior to loading all the cars onto the ferry.

It’s possible that you might face additional charges for bringing your electric car onto a ferry, which could be for a number of reasons. For example, if the ferry offers EV charging, you may need to pay for it in advance when you book. Additionally, there may be other requirements or information you need to supply as part of your booking, such as the condition of the car and its battery.

EV ferry travel is usually no different to in an ICE car. Unfortunately, there still seems to be a widespread concern about electric cars being unsafe, particularly with fire risks from their batteries. This is the most likely reason that a ferry operator bans EVs from travelling on their ferries, although they may also have more legitimate concerns over the weights of electric cars.

The simple truth is, EVs are just as safe, if not safer than, equivalent ICE cars. In fact, contrary to anti-EV sceptics claims, ICE cars are much more likely to be the cause of vehicle-related fires than electric cars. It’s precisely because they’re less common that EV fires get reported as news, which is then used to suggest that they’re more dangerous. So, if anything, ICE cars shouldn’t be allowed on ferries.

Of course, this does depend on the condition of your electric car. So long as you look after your EV and maintain it properly, you shouldn’t have any problems. But if you are aware of any issues with your car or the battery, you should make sure to get these addressed and fixed prior to travelling, whether on a ferry or not.

That said, ferry crews are of course fully trained to deal with vehicle fires, whether they’re caused by ICE cars or EVs. Whilst EVs may be parked in separate lanes on the car deck, this is unlikely to be because of fire concerns but rather weight balancing. In the very unlikely event of an electric car fire, the same rules still apply; follow all instructions from the crew and you’ll be fine.

One of the benefits of electric cars is the ability to charge them whilst they’re parked, which accounts for about 95% of a car’s entire lifespan. Ferry crossings are a great opportunity to charge an EV because they often take a number of hours, and fortunately it’s becoming increasingly possible across a range of major operators. Depending on your EV make and model, a ferry crossing may be the ideal amount of time to charge it back to full, giving you a fully charged electric car for the next leg of your road trip.

Checking which operators provide EV charging on their ferries should be easy. However, due to the limited space on board the ferry, and potential power limitations, they are unlikely to be able to offer electric car charging for every EV on board. Due to the limited availability, the EV chargers will likely be first-come-first-served, and the ferry’s crew will likely be the ones to connect and disconnect the charger to your EV for safety reasons.

How much it costs you will completely vary by operator, as they could either charge you a flat fee or set a tariff for however long you’re plugged in for. It’s possible charging on an EV could cost you more than it usually does in public, so be sure to factor these extra costs in when booking.

Of course, whether you’re using the ferry’s chargers or not, be sure to always follow the rules of public EV charging etiquette. Not only is it polite, but it also keeps you, other passengers, and the crew safe on the crossing.

There are plenty of EV travel tips you can take to ensure a smooth crossing on a ferry. Our top tips include:

• Arrive early: queues at ferry ports can be long and boring, but you really don’t want to be the car that holds up the crossing. Arriving early gives you a calm and stress-free checking-in experience, whilst also avoiding giving any nearby EV sceptics even more reasons to dislike you (even if your EV is better for the environment than theirs)
• Be mindful of your EV’s range: although the ferry you’re boarding may provide electric car charging, don’t take it for granted. Similarly, you may know where your next charging stop is once you disembark, but it could be occupied. You don’t want to arrive with a low battery and then find no charging options once you hit the mainland. Top up before boarding and make sure to note down plenty of back-up charging options in case your first choice is in use
• Pack the EV essentials: whether you’re travelling on a ferry or not, always remember to pack your EV charging cable as non-rapid public chargers don’t provide cables to use. Also, if your car has a Type 1 socket, you might need to pack an adapter, as most chargers throughout Europe (including the UK) use Type 2 sockets
• Download useful charging apps: there are plenty of apps available that will help you find public chargers need the ferry ports, as well as show their availability. These make it easy to get a quick charge in before or after the ferry ride for a stress-free EV road trip

Unless the ferry operator specifically says otherwise, you shouldn’t have any problems bringing your electric car on a ferry. In fact, your crossing is unlikely to be any different than if you were in an ICE car, despite what you may read in the media. The only difference will be in how much your journey pollutes the environment, but that’s only if you cross in an ICE car! So, all you need to prepare for is a relaxing and stress-free crossing.