The Swedish electric boat startup company Candela recently cooperated with the electric car manufacturer Polestar to launch the latest Candela C-8 Polestar Edition hydrofoil speedboat.
This hydrofoil speedboat uses the same 69 kWh battery pack and DC charging technology as the Polestar 2 standard endurance version and can achieve 57 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 22 knots (approximately 105 km) range. The top speed is 30 knots (approximately 56.33 km/h). The battery pack powers a 75-kilowatt electric direct-drive underwater thruster mounted on a pair of computer-controlled hydrofoils that lift the hull out of the water at high speeds, reducing energy consumption by 80 percent and improving comfort and quietness. It’s a “flying over the water” experience, Candela says.
This Polestar version of the C-8 has some custom design elements compared to the regular C-8, such as a new gray exterior, specially designed seat fabrics and hydrofoils painted in Polestar’s signature gold. Maximilian Missoni, Design Director at Polestar, said: “Candela’s hydrofoil technology is a paradigm shift in sustainable performance for the marine industry. Like driving an electric car for the first time, when the vessel ‘takes off’ you immediately feel that this is future.”
The Candela C-8 Polestar is 8.5 meters long, 2.5 meters wide, weighs 1.7 tons, and can seat 8 people. It can be charged at 11 kilowatts using a three-phase AC charger, which also supports DC fast charging. This hydrofoil speedboat is priced at US$450,000 (excluding tax) on the official website of Polestar or Candela, and delivery is expected to begin in June 2024. The two companies have been working together since last year, signing a multi-year battery technology supply agreement, the first direct battery technology collaboration between the automotive and marine industries.
