A Swedish shipwright has unveiled successful tests for a new fully-electric hydrofoil speed boat which it says will change the face of recreational boating forever.
The C-8, by Candela, can do 20 knots of speed and accommodate a half-dozen passengers while eliminating fuel leaks, motor noise, wake, and expensive trips to the fuel dock.
Electric boating has been far behind electric cars as a result of the far-denser resistance encountered when a vehicle attempts to push its way through water as compared to air.
Using hydrofoils to lift the C-8 out of the water, that most critical roadblock is avoided, resulting in 80% less energy consumption per knot traveled than an internal-combustion engine boat.
This allowed Candela to mount an electric motor and battery pack as the form of thrust and actually deliver range and speeds comparative to a fossil-fuel speed boat.
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Candela has designed C-8 to fit right into the industry options. Capable of being mass produced at 400 units per year, the C-8 prices in at €290,000, equal or in some cases lower than other fossil-fuel speed boats in its size class of 28 feet (8.5 meters).
The C-POD motor is rated for 3,000 hours of service-free use, which is equivalent to 50–100 years of a person’s average recreational boating time, reports Clean Technica, adding that after being unveiled in February, its 100 preorders mean it outsold almost all other conventional speed boats of its size.
“It’s basically free boating, and hassle-free boating, for the first time in history,” says company founder Gustav Hasselskog.
The boat sleeps two kids and two adults, while the above deck cockpit has room for eight people.
“Candela C-8 is designed to do away with all the bad aspects of powerboating: no slamming, no harmful wake, no pollution, no maintenance, no noise, and no more expensive trips to the fuel dock,” Candela’s head of PR, Mikael Mahlberg told Clean Technica. “It’s just a smooth, silent, and fun ride. After the first ride last week, it’s clear we’re right on target. This will be a pivotal moment for electric boats.”
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