Repurposed EV batteries from cars are being used to power EV boats cruising the River Seine in Paris.

The Black Swan, an electric boat designed for private or business cruises on the Seine, is fitted with second-life batteries provided by French car manufacturers Renault.

The team behind The Black Swan, French river tour company, Seine Alliance partnered with Groupe Renault and Green-Vision to demonstrate ways in which the circular economy can be used to develop new transportation products.

After around ten years of use, lithium-ion batteries are too old to be used in electric cars, but they can still have other uses. The Black Swan uses two underwater directional units, called pods. Each pod is connected to two battery banks, for a total nominal power output of 20 kW, which is enough to propel the boat at the speed limit in operation along the Seine.

The EV passenger craft can take between two and eight people out onto the water for up to two hours at a time. Because it is electric, it also does not contribute to noise pollution along the Parisian waterway, further reducing the impact of river activities on the environment.

Seine Alliance plans to start refitting other boats with all-electric pare aiming to have its entire fleet run on 100 per cent EV by 2024.

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief. She writes about lifestyle including sustainable and green living.