World's Largest EV: Electric Ferry to Power 2,100 Riders

The world's largest electric vehicle isn't a truck or bus. It's a ferry the size of the Titanic, and it just moved under its own power for the first time.

The China Zorrilla is currently being assembled by Incat Tasmania in Australia, and it's rewriting the rules for what electric transportation can do. At 426 feet long and weighing 14,000 gross tonnes, this massive ship will carry 225 vehicles and 2,100 passengers across the River Plate between Buenos Aires and Uruguay starting later this year.

The engineering behind it is stunning. The ferry packs 250 tons of batteries delivering 40 megawatts of power, equivalent to the battery capacity of 487 Tesla electric cars. That's four times larger than any previous maritime battery installation, making it a genuine game changer for the shipping industry.

Originally designed to run on liquefied natural gas, the project switched to full electric power mid-construction. That decision added complexity to the $200 million build, but it transformed the ferry into a floating proof of concept for clean maritime transport.

Despite its enormous size, the China Zorrilla can reach speeds of 29 mph. Sea trials began in January 2026, eight months after its launch from the Australian facility, and testing continues as crews prepare the vessel for its journey to South America.

The Ripple Effect: This ferry matters beyond its record-breaking status. Shipping accounts for nearly 3% of global carbon emissions, and most ferries still burn fossil fuels. The China Zorrilla shows that even massive passenger vessels can run entirely on battery power, opening doors for other operators worldwide to consider electric alternatives.

The ship will feature the world's largest retail space on any ferry, spanning 25,000 square feet. But the real headline is what's happening below deck, where a quarter million pounds of batteries are proving that size doesn't have to mean compromise when it comes to clean energy.

After completing its testing program, the ferry will make its way to South America to begin daily service connecting two major cities across one of the continent's busiest waterways.

Thousands of daily commuters will soon cross the River Plate knowing their journey leaves no carbon footprint behind.