The electric boat with electric car battery

Baltic Sea crossing The electric boat with electric car battery

2024-09-19 From Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Michael Richter | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

It's not just electric cars that are helping to pave the way to a green future. Electric boats are also making their contribution. The Swedish company Candela is therefore cooperating with Polestar and is getting the boats out of the water electrically.

The Candela C-8 Polestar edition is made of carbon fiber and weighs barely more than a mid-range vehicle.(Image: Candela) — The Candela C-8 Polestar edition is made of carbon fiber and weighs barely more than a mid-range vehicle.
(Image: Candela)

The distance between Stockholm, Sweden, and the Åland Islands in Finland is 50 nautical miles. It may be a short distance, but it crosses the Baltic Sea. The C8 electric foiler only needed 50 euros worth of energy. Normally, similar boats require around 750 euros (approx. 836 USD) in fuel costs.

There are two reasons for these costs. Firstly, electricity is very cheap and secondly, it is due to the foiling concept. Some of you may already be familiar with this concept under the name hydrofoil. The wings (hydrofoils) used there are under water and lift the hull of the boat out of the water as speed increases. This considerably reduces water resistance, which drastically reduces energy consumption. The speed of the crossing was 22 knots, which is just under 41 kilometers per hour (25.48 mph). There is room for a maximum of eight people on board.

The concept

The Candela technology concept combines hydrofoils with an ultra-light carbon fiber construction that reduces water resistance by 50 percent. The specially developed C-POD motor (45/50 kW), an electric direct drive without gearbox, reduces friction and maintenance, increases efficiency by 23 percent compared to other electric outboards and is virtually silent. The control system regulates the boat in real time, stabilizes it in rough seas and enables smooth and efficient gliding. Thanks to its hydrofoils, the Candela boat lifts out of the water from a speed of around 16 knots (approx. 30 km/h / 18.64 mph) and virtually begins to float.

The special thing about the 1,950 kilogram C8 is the cooperation with Polestar. The car manufacturer, headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, supplies the battery for the hydrofoil. This has a capacity of 69 kWh and thus enables a range of 57 nautical miles. Thanks to Polestar technology, the charging infrastructure is also similar to that of a car. With 11 kW AC, the boat charges from 0 to 100 percent in 6.5 hours. With 135 kW DC, the time for charging from 10 to 80 percent can be reduced to less than 30 minutes.

The future of shipping?

Electric boats like the Candela C8 show the potential for emission-free and energy-efficient transportation on the water, but despite the lower energy consumption, the combination of hydrofoil technology and powerful batteries may not be directly transferable to sea freight or the cruise industry. Nevertheless, electric propulsion can drastically reduce emissions. Especially for short distances in coastal areas or inland waters, electric ships could become a promising and quiet solution. (mr)

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