Candela C-8 is the first fully electric boat to connect Europe with Africa

The Swedish electric boat building company Candela has broken another record. The all-electric hydrofoil boat Candela C-8 crossed the Mediterranean from Sotogrande in Spain to Ceuta, a Spanish city on the North African coast. The crossing took place at one of the narrowest points of the Mediterranean, in the Strait of Gibraltar.

The crossing from Europe to Africa is normally operated by diesel-powered car ferries. Although Candela cannot transport vehicles with the C-8, it sees the journey as a demonstration of how the all-electric Candela P-12 can transport up to twelve people and thus connect coastal communities that are underserved by direct ferry connections. This is because after traveling on a diesel ferry, the onward journey is time-consuming using other means of transport.

The C-8 covered the approximately 44 km route in just over an hour. It is said to have used only 40 kWh, which cost around 8 euros. By comparison, a boat of roughly the same size with conventional propulsion would cost around 90 euros. Candela has thus shown that an environmentally friendly and cost-efficient connection between the continents is possible with an electric boat. Such a direct connection would not be profitable for conventional ferries.

Candela believes that in the future, a P-12 can not only be used to operate ferry services across the two continents, but also to connect coastal towns on the Costa del Sol.

Travel without seasickness

Candela uses hydrofoil technology to consume as little energy as possible. The boat lifts itself out of the water at a certain speed and glides on computer-controlled hydrofoils. This minimizes the resistance of the hull in the water.

The technology also has another advantage: seasickness, which is often caused by the swell, is avoided because the boat glides over the waves. This was also noticeable on the journey between Sotogrande and Ceuta. In the Strait of Gibraltar, cold water from the Atlantic meets warmer water from the Mediterranean. This leads to strong currents and unpleasant swell. The Candela C-8 practically flew over the water, so the waves were not noticeable compared to the conventional escort boat, according to reports.

Candela has already set several records in recent years. In 2023, the C-8 covered a distance of 780 km within 24 hours. The electric boat shuttled back and forth between Stockholm and the island of Tynningö 20 times. Only 685 kWh of electricity was required. In 2024, a Candela C-8 also became the first fully electric boat to cross the Baltic Sea.

(olb)