A ferry boat fueled entirely by hydrogen and oxygen hit the waters of the Bay Area Friday morning, and the zero-emissions boat will start carrying passengers on July 19, free of charge for the first six months.

Sharp-eyed commuters, particularly those traveling by ferry, noticed a new boat on the waters of the San Francisco Bay Friday morning. And it wasn't just any new boat. According to the Associated Press, it was the world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial ferry known as the MV Sea Change, and it’s a zero-emissions boat powered not by diesel fuel, but merely by a combination of oxygen and hydrogen.

This is a commuter ferry, and you’ll be able to ride it too when it goes into full regular service on July 19. Initial trips will only go back and forth between Fisherman’s Wharf’s Pier 41 and the Ferry Building, according to the SF Bay Ferry service that will operate it. But the vessel will likely make that trip faster than Muni can.

And for the first six months of its operation, this high-tech, zero-emissions ferry will be free to ride.

We call it a “zero-emissions” vehicle, but the boat technically does emit two things: heat and water vapor. Which means passengers can actually drink the boat’s exhaust.

"It's just appropriate that San Francisco, which is a leader in so many things, especially when it comes to the environment, is a leader in making sure that ferries become clean,” San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority chair Jim Wunderman told KGO. “I think that was the one criticism of water transit that it was polluting and even though we have really clean by comparison, diesel boats, it's not nearly the same as having absolutely zero emission boats.”

According to the AP, the boat can drive 300 nautical miles, and operate for 16 hours before needing to refuel. The boat’s fuel cells produce electricity via an electrochemical reaction combining oxygen and hydrogen molecules, a process that emits the byproduct of water.

If you’re interested in taking a ride on the clean-energy baby, keep an eye on the SF Bay Ferry website as we approach July 19.

Related: Hydrofoil Water Taxi Startup Aims To Ferry Bay Area Commuters [SFist]

Image via Zero Emission Industries