Flying electric daycruiser expected to outsell combustion engine boats
The Swedish tech company Candela says it has racked up more than 60 orders for its revolutionary, €290,000 electric boat, the Candela C-8. That makes the flying C-8 one of the fastest-selling 28-foot boats on the market.
The Candela C-8 uses a new version of the company’s hydrofoil system and flies above the waves with greater range than any other electric boat, powered by a new, silent pod thruster – the Candela C-Pod.
Compared to the company’s first model, the smaller and hand-built C-7, the C-8 is made for rapid mass production which allows Candela to sell it for a price that is in line with conventional premium, fossil-fuel boats.
“According to our data,” says Mikael Mahlberg, Candela’s communications manager, “the C-8 is the second or third fastest-selling powerboat in the 28-foot category in Scandinavia. Not just electric boats, but any type of power source. By year’s end, we expect to have a real impact on combustion engine boat sales in this size category.”
Candela’s first boat – the open Candela C-7 – was a sales success in its own right, but still a niche product. With 30 units delivered since production started in 2019, Mahlberg says the C-7 led premium electric boat sales in Europe on account of having a longer range, higher cruise speed and smoother ride than other electric boats.
The C-8’s computer-controlled hydrofoils lift the hull above the waves and reduce energy consumption by 80% compared to traditional powerboats. It can cruise for more than 2.5 hours at 20 knots and the hydrofoils also reduce slamming by 90 per cent compared to conventional hull boats, says Mahlberg.
“The C-8 will not just have longer range than other electric boats, it will offer a better ride experience than any boat out there. In 3-4-foot chop, you’ll be able to drive at 30 knots without feeling the waves. It will be like a magic carpet ride,” Mahlberg says.
When foilborne, the C-8’s flight controller adjusts and twists the hydrofoil about 100 times per second to maintain the best flight height and to counteract waves and side wind. This allows for an artificially stable ride, free from the slamming and pitching common in conventional motor boats.
In very rough seas that prevent hydrofoiling, the C-8 can also be driven as a conventional boat, albeit with reduced range. By pushing a button on the touch screen, the hydrofoils will retract into the hull. This feature is also useful when entering a shallow harbour, or when storing the boat on a trailer. When driving in shallow mode, the C-POD motor and C-Foil are retracted and fully protected from both fouling and hitting submerged objects.
Deliveries begin in 2022
