Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Candela C-7, the world’s first all-electric hydrofoil boat

Candela, a specialist in the development of electric boats with hydrofoil technology, has presented Candela C-7, an all-electric speedboat created for long-range trips without polluting our seas.

By combining an advanced flight control system with fully submerged hydrofoils, the C-7 flies silently above the waves, creating a completely new boating experience. A 100% electric water hydrofoil with better performance and zero-emission makes it an excellent alternative for waterway transport.

Candela C-7 can achieve a top speed of 30 knots (55 km/h) and a range of 50 nautical miles (93 km) at 22 knots (41 km/h) on a single charge of its 40 kWh battery. C-7’s computer-controlled Foil System offers an almost completely silent driving experience and a very smooth ride, even in choppy conditions.

Candela C-7, the world's first electric hydrofoil boat.
Candela P-30 is an electric ferry that builds on Candela’s technology developed for the leisure boats model C-7. Credit: Candela

“We designed Candela C-7 to be the most efficient boat ever built. At 20 knots, the energy usage per nautical mile is just 0,8 kWh. To put that into perspective, that’s the energy content of 0,1 liter of gasoline,” explains the company on the official website.

Fully submerged foils lift the C-7 completely above the surface, reducing friction by 80% and enabling long-range on pure battery power. The foil moves 100 times per second to balance the boat, resulting in an artificially stable ride even in strong winds and bigger waves.

The Candela C-7 is designed to be extremely light while still rigid and strong. The hull is made of vacuum-infused carbon fiber, which allows the Candela C-7 to weigh significantly less than similar boats. All controls, including ones for retracting the hydrofoils, are accessible on the 12-inch touchscreen.

Building on their leisure boat technology, Candela is also developing a bigger passenger boat called the P-30. This 30 passenger commuter ship is currently under construction in Stockholm, where it will run in commercial traffic from 2023 and onwards.

The technology allows, among other things, to reduce energy consumption, noise and even offer a more comfortable experience for occupants during the tour. Also, having less surface in contact with water, the vehicle produces fewer tracks, which opens the doors for a faster, safer, and discreet trip in restricted areas – that is, in places where the boat can be damaged or the vessel can harm marine wildlife.

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