Press release -
Try out the world's first electric foiling boat in Miami
It's fast, it flies, and it is so silent that you can have a casual conversation at top speed. It doesn't create wake or emissions—and you can't get seasick. Meet Candela C-8, the first foiling electric boat, which will have its Florida premiere in Miami this weekend.
Reaching 17 mph, the Swedish-made Candela C-8 gently takes off from the surface. Instantly, the noises from water splashing against the hull disappear, and you're soon flying above the chop at up to 30 mph—using a tiny fraction of the energy a conventional 27-foot boat would use. Once flying, the 3800-pound boat needs just 30 horsepower to stay on the foils with up to 7 passengers on board.
Slung under the hull are two wings, hydrofoils, that provide enough lift to raise the hull above the water friction, reducing energy consumption by a staggering 90% compared to a conventional V-hull fossil-fuel-powered boat. Once foilborne, the Candela C-8 is stabilized by computers that adjust the main foil's angle of attack 100 times per second, making the boat artificially stable.
"It works much like a fighter jet, such as an F-16. The flight controller will compensate for winds, waves, and different loads. The boat won't slam, pitch, or roll like a normal boat. It's a smooth ride, and you can't really get seasick on it," says Mikael Mahlberg, Candela's Head of Communications.
Thanks to its leading electric range of 65 US miles at 25 mph on one charge, the Candela C-8 is ta best-seller on the market. Around 150 units are already sold, mostly to US customers.
This week, the Candela C-8 will have its Florida premiere as the Swedish company prepares to open an office in the Golden state.
"It's a more silent, and I'd say, much better experience than conventional boats. We're in Miami to show that electric boats are not only a distant future—they're here today," says Mikael Mahlberg.
Media demonstrations will be held at Miami Beach Marina. Get in touch with veronica.cargay@candela.com or mikael.mahlberg@candela.com to schedule a ride.
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Stockholm-based Candela Technology AB is the world leader in hydrofoiling electric vessels. The company was founded in 2014 by engineer and business leader Gustav Hasselskog with the mission to accelerate the world's transition to fossil fuel-free lakes and oceans by developing electric vessels that outperform those powered by fossil fuels.
Candela's watercraft have wings (hydrofoils) that lift the hull above the water and reduce friction, using 80% less energy than conventional ships at high speed. This technology allows for long-range water travel solely on battery power, a first in the industry. Candela's hydrofoils also enable operators to transition to sustainable fleets by providing up to 50% lower operational costs.
At the heart of Candela's hydrofoil tech stack is the Flight controller, which automatically stabilizes the vessel during flight by regulating the foils, using sensors that gauge wave height and wind speed, among other factors. Even in rough weather, passengers experience 90% less g-forces than they would on a traditional boat. All Candela vessels are fully connected and receive over-the-air updates.
After five years of research and development, Candela began producing the world's first electric hydrofoil leisure boat in 2019, the Candela C-7 open "roadster of the seas". This was followed in 2021 by the high-volume market Candela C-8, which will be delivered to the first customers in spring 2023. Over 150 C-8 units have been sold to date, and the vessel has been lauded as a "game changer" by Motorboat and Yachting magazine, winning numerous awards including the 2022 European Powerboat of the Year award for its superior seakeeping, long range, and high speed.
In 2023, Candela is launching its first commercial vessel, the Candela P-12 Shuttle ferry. It is poised to set multiple world records for being the fastest and longest-range electric ship ever built, with a top speed of 30 knots and a range of up to 60 nautical miles. It will also be the most energy-efficient fast ship ever made in its size class. Substantial operational cost savings are expected. The first unit is water launched during summer 2023.
Candela is a technology company with headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, employing over 200 engineers, technicians, and production staff. The company develops the entire tech stack, from the C-POD motor to the control system and carbon fiber hulls, in-house. Candela's two wholly-owned factories in Stockholm, Sweden, produce the Candela C-8 and P-12 vessels. The company also has leisure boat resellers in 12 countries and wholly-owned sales offices in San Francisco, USA, and Cannes, France.
