Candela starts regular operation of first electric hydrofoil ferry in Stockholm
Electric boat builder Candela has launched the first electric hydrofoil ferry service in Stockholm with a P-12.
Candela's electric hydrofoil ferry travels across Stockholm's waterways in an energy-saving way.
(Image: Candela)
The Swedish electric boatbuilding company Candela has put its first electrically powered ferry with hydrofoil technology into operation in Stockholm. The "Nova" is the first of a total of ten Candela P-12 boats that will transport passengers by water in regular operation in Stockholm.
It is a paradigm shift for urban transport and at the same time a revitalization of the waterways in Stockholm, said Gustav Hasselskog, founder and CEO of Candela, on the launch of the "Nova" on Tuesday. It took Candela around ten years to electrify the first ferry in Stockholm. In 2014, Hasselskoog brought together experts from the fields of hydrodynamics, electric drive technology, mechatronics, computer simulation and software to gradually develop and build electric hydrofoils such as the C-8 electric hydrofoil sports boat and the P-12 ferry.
On its maiden voyage, the electric ferry set off from a landing stage on Ekerö, one of Stockholm's rapidly growing island suburbs. The ferry, which can carry up to twelve people, now connects Ekerö with the center of Stockholm as far as Stockholm City Hall. The route is around 15 km long and is covered by the ferry within 30 minutes. By comparison, a diesel-powered ferry takes around twice as long to cover the same distance.
Ecological ferry connections
The P-12 significantly reduces harmful COâ‚‚ emissions. The hydrofoil technology, which lifts the hydrofoil out of the water at a certain speed, reduces the resistance of the hull in the water and thus saves up to 80 percent of energy, helps here. The electric boat is powered exclusively by electricity from renewable sources.
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The Candela P-12 can also travel significantly faster within the city limits than ferries that generate bow waves. This is because Stockholm has issued special wake regulations with speed limits for boats operating within the city limits, which slow down conventional boats.
The "Nova" is the first of a total of ten electric hydrofoils to be used in Stockholm to replace diesel-powered ferries. Stockholm consists of around 30,000 islands and operates a large fleet of 70 boats for public waterway transportation. Together, they consume more fossil fuels than all of the city's buses and trains. However, they only transport a very small proportion of passengers. The Candela electric ferries are intended to help make inner-city shipping more environmentally friendly.
(olb)
