Currently, Infinity Harbour Service operates two water taxis, one to Elephanta and the other to Alibaug. The third — hybrid model electric water taxi — will ply between Gateway of India and Belapur. The high-speed taxi will cover the distance in about 30 minutes.
Infinity Harbour Service, a private water taxi operator, is set to launch hybrid model electric water taxi service between Gateway of India and Belapur by the end of the year.
“We have tied up with US-based company Danfoss and its Dubai-based agent has designed the hybrid model, which will have components like batteries from other vendors. It will be assembled in an existing 50-seater, diesel-operated water taxi. Once the parts are delivered in another 15 days it will be assembled and retrofitted and it can go hybrid,” Sohel Kazani, managing partner of the company, said.
Currently, Infinity Harbour Service operates two water taxis, one to Elephanta and the other to Alibaug. The third — hybrid model electric water taxi — will ply between Gateway of India and Belapur. The high-speed taxi will cover the distance in about 30 minutes. “This route will only become successful if the price point matches with the expectation. That is possible if fuel consumption is reduced. It will happen with a hybrid model water taxi that will consume less fuel and with this, we are looking to reduce the fares to Rs 200 from Rs 800,” Kazani said. The retrofitted electric water taxi can run three hours continuously on electricity whereas for another three hours it can run on both diesel and electric mode. The hybrid electric water taxi will consume 30 litres of diesel per hour. The water taxis in operation currently consume 140 litres per hour.
