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A next-generation electric hydrofoiling passenger vessel will be trialled on Lake Whakatipu this month, as part of early work exploring future passenger connections between Queenstown and Kingston.
The trial is being led by Kingston Village in partnership with marine technology company Vessev, and will assess travel times, passenger experience, and operational factors specific to the lake. Findings will feed into a wider feasibility study planned for later this year.
Kingston Village general manager Nicola Tristram says the trial is part of longer-term planning as the Kingston community grows.
“This trial will provide valuable insight into how lake transport could complement existing road and bus networks, as well as proposed future connections, for residents, commuters, and visitors,” Nicola says.
“As the technology develops, there is potential for hydrofoiling ferries on Lake Whakatipu to carry up to around 30 passengers, and this testing will help assess what that could look like in practice.”
Southern Infrastructure chief executive Ross Copland says the trial supports broader efforts to diversify transport options in the Queenstown Lakes district.
“Queenstown has some of the busiest roads in the country, with Frankton Road exceeding one million vehicle movements last year,” Ross says. “While projects such as the Queenstown Cable Car Network are important, no single solution will resolve the region’s transport pressures on its own.”
Southern Infrastructure funded and installed New Zealand’s first publicly accessible electric marine-side chargers at the Queenstown Marina last year, positioning the town as a testing ground for electric marine technology.
Ross says the trial builds on a history of innovation on the lake, referencing the hydrofoiling ferry Meteor III, which operated on Lake Whakatipu more than three decades ago.
Vessev chief executive Eric Laakmann says electric hydrofoiling offers an opportunity to better integrate the lake into Queenstown’s transport network.
“By lifting vessels above the water, hydrofoiling enables fast, comfortable services with very low wake and reduced emissions,” Eric says. “That creates the potential to use the lake as a transport corridor while respecting the shoreline, wildlife, and other users.”
The trial has been welcomed by the Kingston Community Association and regional tourism organisation Destination Queenstown & Lake Wanaka Tourism, which say improved lake connections could benefit residents, visitors, and the wider tourism economy.
