Candela C-7 wins electric speedboat race

The Swedish-made Candela C-7 has beaten 14 other electric boats in the YCM International Speed Record race (1/8 nautical mile sprint race) during the Monaco Energy Challenge. The Candela C-7 flew past the finishing line at a speed exceeding 31 knots, despite rough weather and big waves.

Even more impressive, says its manufacturers, the ultra-efficient C-7 beat conventional hulled electric powerboats equipped with ten times bigger motors – showing why hydrofoiling is the future for powerboats.

Candela C-7 is the first hydrofoiling electric boat in serial production. It is also the best-selling electric premium boat in Europe and has since its introduction in 2019 won several awards for its innovative technology.

The 25-feet, Candela C-7 needs only 25hp to cruise at a speed of 20 knots, says the company. Its electric motor is tiny compared to the engines fitted to conventional, planing powerboats of the same size.

“This is a big day for electric boating,” says Mikael Mahlberg for Candela. “We wanted to show that instead of just fitting bigger motors and more batteries into conventional, inefficient hulls, hydrofoils allow you to use less power to reach higher speeds and get long range. That’s how we can make boating truly sustainable.

“By flying above the water, you also get a smoother ride in choppy weather.

“The C-7 has more in common with an aircraft than a boat. The control system resembles that of a modern jet fighter, like the F-16. As a driver, you just steer and control the speed, everything else is handled by the computer,” says Mahlberg.

The onboard computer automatically adjusts the hydrofoil 100 times per second to account for side wind, waves and different loads. Receiving input from several different sensors, it computes the foil’s optimum angle of attack to ensure a smooth ride.

Candela says its hydrofoil system – with two underwater wings that can be retracted for easy storage when trailing the boat or entering shallow ports – is now being leveraged for bigger electric boats. Next year, the company will launch the P-30 electric foiling ferry for the city of Stockholm, as well as a 12-person water taxi, called the Candela P-12.