Swedish-based hydrofoil and electric boat producer Candela Technology AB has successfully completed testing of its Candela P-12 pre-production electric passenger vessel named ‘Zero’.
At the test, where it was guided by the founder Gustav Hasselskog, it was hitting a take-off speed of 16 knots and quickly reaching its designed top speed of 30 knots within 16 seconds.
The Candela P-12 is fully electric fitted with electric C-POD motors and with a hydrofoil system having three carbon fiber wings beneath the hull which reduce energy consumption by a staggering 80% compared to regular fast vessels, as the company states.
Once airborne, P-12’s digital Flight Control System adjusts the foils’ angles based on various sensors, ensuring a smoother voyage without the discomforts of sea-sickness-inducing motions common on regular ships.
The passenger vessel has also an extendable, automatic bow ramp which can adjust to different quay heights, ranging from 0.2 to 2 meters, allowing the Candela P-12 to travel various global routes without needing dock modifications.
Candela Technology AB notes that after the successful test, it has begun serial production of the P-12 at its Stockholm factory.
Furthermore, the second P-12 passenger vessel is planned to join Stockholm’s public transport system by 2024, and it will ferry citizens between the island suburb of Ekerö and the city center.
Here it might be worth mentioning that this electric vessel for 30 passengers, with minimal wake production, has secured a speed exemption in the city, cutting commuting times from 55 minutes to just 25 minutes, meaning that the passenger vessel is beating the speed of competing subway and bus lines and doubling car commutes during rush hour.
The Candela P-12 comes in three versions: The P-12 Shuttle, Business, and Voyager.
The Shuttle version redefines sustainable commuting, fitting in 30 passengers with space for bicycles, strollers, and wheelchairs.
The Business version is decked out for 12 to 20 passengers with a premium interior, whilst the Voyager version is adaptable for both private leisure and commercial clients, letting them tweak the interior design as needed.
The company says that in the Shuttle setup it is priced at €1.7m.
Gustav Hasselskog, founder of Candela Technology AB, pointed out: ”The P-12 is a platform that will cater to a vast range of clients. Whether it’s public transport, VIP services, or private customers, it will revolutionize how we travel over water,” and “With P-12, we don’t just offer a faster and more comfortable electric alternative to fossil fuel vessels. We offer operators to switch to sustainable vessels, while increasing profits. That’s hugely important to drive the transition to fossil-fuel free oceans and lakes.”
