Candela unveiled its latest electric, foiling passenger boat at the Venice Boat Show this week. The P-8 Voyager was developed specifically to replace the world’s fleets of smaller and fast combustion-engine passenger craft like yacht tenders, taxis, and rigid inflatable boats. It lets passengers travel silently and comfortably through wake-sensitive areas or over coral reefs without the disturbance caused by conventional boats having big combustion engines.

The wake of the P-8 Voyager is only 5 cm (2 in) tall thanks to its hydrofoiling capabilities. With its C-POD motor at full revs, the boat tops out at 31 knots at 2500 kg (5510 lb) and has a range of 50 nautical miles at its 20-knot cruising speed. This means it goes faster and further than any other electric boat; it has 2-3 times longer range than any other electric speedboat, claims the company.

Candela’s mission is to speed up the transition to fossil-fuel-free lakes and oceans. Founded by Gustav Hasselskog in 2014, the Stockholm-based company develops groundbreaking electric hydrofoil vessels with a longer range and higher speed than traditional electric vessels. After launching the C-7 leisure boat in 2019, the company is introducing its bigger mass-market successor C-8 in September at Salone Nautico in Venice.

The P-8 Voyager’s technological platform was developed during 2021 for use in the C-8 and other future vessels. The 2000-kg (4410-lb) carbon-fiber-hulled boat has a length of 8.64 m (28.3 ft), measured by ISO 8666 means, and a beam of 2.55 m (8.4 ft), with a 6 passenger and 2 crew capacity. Its draft is 0.5 m (1.6 ft) in shallow mode and 1.5 m (4.9 ft) while foiling.

The P-8 Voyager is built in Sweden using Candela’s computer-guided foils, or underwater wings, whose use reduces energy consumption by 80% compared to traditional motorboats. Gliding above the water, the boat draws only about 25 kW from its C-POD motor at a 20-knot cruising speed.

And it doesn’t have to slow down for waves. According to Candela, 4-ft (1.2-m) swells will hardly be noticeable for passengers enjoying the scenery from the P-8’s air-conditioned panorama cabin. Seasickness is said to be a thing of the past, with the computer-guided hydrofoils ensuring a smooth ride even in waves.

While hydrofoils are the key to achieving long range and high speed in electric boats, the technology also benefits fragile marine environments and their inhabitants.

“The P-8 Voyager was designed to take you and your passengers to the places you love on the water, without leaving a trace,” said Hasselskog.

“From Venice to the Bahamas, it’s absurd to travel in beautiful and fragile ecosystems in speedboats that burn 200 liters of petrol per hour and make huge wakes,” added Erik Eklund, Candela’s Chief of Commercial Vessels. “With the Candela P-8 Voyager, we wanted to make a no-compromise electric exploration vessel. You have the performance, can cruise for well over 2 hours, but there’s virtually no negative impact on the environment.”

The C-FOIL hydrofoil system on Candela P-8 Voyager has been developed by Candela’s 50+ engineers with experience in the drone, aerospace, and software industries. At 16 knots, the onboard “flight controller” automatically changes the foil’s angle of attack to provide the lift needed for take-off.

Once foilborne, the controller relies on various sensors to gauge wave height and ensure a smooth flight even in adverse conditions. Reacting in real-time, the active hydrofoils can make adjustments to roll, pitch, and height 100 times per second. The system can fly in 4-5 ft (1.2-1.5 m) chop without slamming.

The hydrofoils are fully retractable for easy storage and mooring.

“You get the seakeeping ability of a 100-ft ship in a 28-footer,” said Eklund. “Foiling in bad weather will be the ultimate experience of nature. Taking in the dramatic scenery, breaking waves, and all—while safely flying over it in absolute silence. This is a new level of luxury that, I dare say, has never been experienced at sea.”

Candela’s ultra-compact 45/50-kW C-POD motor was specifically developed for the company’s hydrofoiling craft. Twin, submerged motors directly drive counter-rotating propellers. No transmission means no noise, oil, cooling fluid, and maintenance.

For cost-conscience commercial operators, the efficient hydrofoils provide 90 km (56 mi) of range at 20 knots for battery recharging costs of just €10. That’s a fraction of the cost of refueling a rib or water taxi in the 28-ft category.

The C-POD motors can run for 3000 h without service, which makes the P-8 Voyager a good choice for operators in remote locations where technicians are far and few between. Connectivity and over-the-air updates enable Candela’s 24/7 service department to perform remote troubleshooting.

“For commercial operators to go electric, we knew the service aspect was important,” said Eklund. “No matter if you run a taxi boat business or if you’re a superyacht captain, our aim is to minimize maintenance and to provide hassle-free ownership.”

Production of the P-8 Voyager, which starts at €450,000 ex. VAT, will begin in the fall of this year