While there are lots of reasons to consider an electric boat as the next addition to your fleet, from reduced emissions to noiseless slicing through the water, one drawback can be the more limited range of such vessels. The folks at Candela are taking that challenge head-on, with its C-8 hydrofoil making the most of the boatbuilder’s partnership with automaker Polestar to increase the time and distance between charges as much as possible.
Following the partnership announcement in August of last year, the newly announced Candela C-8 hydrofoil uses the same 69 kWh battery and charging technology as the Polestar 2 sedan to offer owners a range that’s twice as long as the nearest electric boat on the market. Rather than opting for a larger motor, Candela focused its attention on designing a more efficient vessel that hydrofoils above the waves rather than pushing through them, giving the C-8 a range of 106km while travelling at its 37km/h cruising speed.
With three configurations available either as a hardtop, day cruiser or T-top, the Candela also boasts some impressive stabilising technology that uses a similar flight control system to a quadcopter drone, while the underside of the vessel features a number of sensors to measure its position relative to the water to ensure the smoothest ride possible. Measuring 8.5m in length and a beam of 2.5m it can fit seven passengers and a driver, Candela has already received 150 orders for its new C-8, with deliveries expected to begin in the last quarter of 2024.
