Maid of the Mist Launches All-Electric Passenger Vessels

About six years ago, my wife and I took a roadtrip to Toronto, and along the way, we stopped at Niagara Falls. Despite my horrible motion sickness, I agreed to go on the Maid of Mist, because you don’t visit Niagara Falls and not ride the Maid of the Mist. And….I got horrible motion sickness. But it was a fun experience – mostly – and so my ears perked up when I heard the Maid of the Mist tour launched the first all-electric, zero-emission passenger vessels in the United States.

We previously mentioned New York Governor Cuomo’s goal of deploying 50,000 electric chargers by 2025, part of his larger goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. This new initiative by Maid of the Mist, which has navigated the area below Niagara Falls since 1846, is one small part of that massive undertaking.

Funny enough, the press release from the New York Power Authority promises “a smoother, quieter and greener ride when visiting the nation’s oldest state park.” I’m sure the last two are correct, but I might dispute the first claim…

“The launch of the James V. Glynn and Nikola Tesla, the first passenger vessels of their kind in the United States, will markedly enhance the visitor experience, providing a smooth, quiet trip to and from the base of Niagara Falls,” said Maid of the Mist President Christopher M. Glynn. “With no engine noise, our guests will be amazed by the sounds of nature and the roar of the falls they will hear from the decks of our vessels.”

To launch the pioneering electric vessels, the NYPA collaborated with ABB, which provided batteries and “a comprehensive integrated power and propulsion solution, including an onshore charging system.”

Maybe a future visitor to Niagara Falls – who also suffers from motion sickness – could tell me if it really is a smoother ride.