For decades, tourists have been able to get up close and personal with the roaring waters of Niagara Falls by getting on board one of the Maid of the Mist ferries. Soon they will be able to do this in a more environmentally-friendly manner thanks to a pair of all-electric boats that will not only offer a zero-emissions mode of transport, but will allow visitors to take in the spectacle free of the engine noise and exhaust fumes that accompany traditional vessels.
Now being constructed in the state of Wisconsin, the new catamaran-like boats are said to be the first fully electric passenger vessels built in the US. Topped up by an onshore charging system, the onboard lithium-ion batteries can reach an 80 percent capacity in just seven minutes, allowing for quick turnaround times at an attraction that draws millions upon millions of visitors each year.
The boats are being constructed in modules, which will be transported to a facility at Niagara Falls for assembly later this month. They are expected to enter service in September, where they will replace two older vessels.
