Cstrider's electric passenger ferry wins international design award

Trollhättan start-up Cstrider wins the prestigious Red Dot Design Award. The focus is on the concept design of their system, consisting of a scalable fleet of electric passenger ships. The award is one of the world's most coveted stamps of quality for good design.

Cstrider, led by Tobias Husberg, is developing a scalable system of self-driving, electric passenger ferries for urban transportation. The concept has now been awarded the Red Dot Design Award 2025 in the concept design category: "Ready for Market - Electrification and Decarbonization".

- "We're incredibly proud that our green little craft is liked by the design world. The basis of our work is to create climate-smart transportation and this award is an important confirmation that we are on the right track and developing an innovation that is internationally viable, says Tobias Husberg, CEO and founder of Cstrider.

Focus on accessibility and diversity

The passenger ferries are designed to complement and relieve the pressure on existing infrastructure and use the waterways in cities. The aim is to open up travel opportunities for both pedestrian and bicycle traffic, public transport and tourism.

In the development process, accessibility and diversity have been in focus, and through user testing and co-creation, the design has been shaped based on different needs and perspectives.

-The design is futuristic, accessible and functional. The large glass surfaces allow passengers to experience the city's water landscape while sitting safely and protected from the weather, and with more personal space than other public transport. The interior is modular and can be fully adapted to different passenger needs," says Tobias.

Available for purchase by municipalities and companies

The boats can carry up to twelve passengers each and are currently available for purchase by municipalities and companies. Cstrider's prototype ferry has already been tested in a number of locations around the country - including Värmdö, Kungälv, Gothenburg, Trollhättan and Karlskrona.

- We have now received confirmation that both our passengers and those who see the ferry from the outside like what they see. Now it's just a matter of the boats being purchased as traffic ferries by Sweden's municipalities. We look forward to seeing which municipality will be first," says Tobias.

Behind the design is Trollhättan designer Eduard Gray together with Chalmers students Gustav Fjellhem Eriksson and Wilhelm Svanlund who have designed the seat configuration.

Since 2023, Cstrider has been part of Innovatum Science Park's incubator and the national space incubator ESA BIC Sweden, which we help run.

- It's fantastic that Cstrider is receiving such a prestigious award! Their innovation shows the way towards the sustainable transportation of the future and the potential is huge, both in Sweden and globally. This is a brilliant example of how smart technology and thoughtful design can create great benefits," says Frida Finnman, Incubator Manager at Innovatum Science Park.

The award ceremony will be held on October 15, 2025 in Singapore.