The Swedish firm Candela has developed an electric speed boat that is hydrofoiling, so it is sort of flying. Top speed is 30 knots (55 kph) and the 40 kWh battery enables a range of more than 50 nautical miles (93 km) – and, they’ve taken it to series production.

The formula goes like this: use an all-carbon body for low weight (92 kg), lift it out of the water for low resistance and this is how Candela claims they need 75% less energy. The range of close to 93 kilometres (50 nautical miles) from a 40 kWh battery suggests as much. In other words, this is 3 hours at 25 knots. Charging the battery via Type 2 connector can take all night though at 230V/16A or 110V/34A standard household outlet.

A word on hydrofoil – the Candela Speed Boat comes with a sort of wings attached underneath not unlike a drop keel or aerofoils on aeroplanes. Once the boat reaches a certain speed, the wings are released and the speed boat “takes off” as Candela says. The idea for the technology goes back to 1919 and in other boats today lifts the hull clear of the water at speed. Still, Candela’s is the first electric boat to make use of the low-resistance.

With the concept up and running, Candela has been taking pre-orders and say they’ve received a lot of interest. So much, that people now register to pre-order with the small company getting back to them regarding delivery times and pricing.

Not so much the delivery delays anymore but the performance puts the boat in a bracket that some may compare to Tesla’s for cars. No wonder Bjørn Nyland paid Candela a visit.

Candela Speed Boat is based in Sweden and was founded in 2014.

candelaspeedboat.com, Spec