Frequently Asked Questions

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  • C-8
  • C-7
  • P-8
  • P-12
  • Commercial
  • Range
  • Specifications
  • Technology
  • Payment & Processing

What makes the C-8 different from the C-7?

The C-8 is our next generation boat, built for a wider range of use cases on the water. It’s our first boat with an enclosed cabin and a hybrid mode, meaning the boat can plane like a regular non-foiling boat if desired. It’s also the most silent electric boat at high speed ever conceived. The propulsion unit has been moved beneath the water surface and is named Candela C-POD. The C-POD is a revolution in itself, and is not retrofittable on the C-7. Candela C-7, our first model, is a similar bowrider perfectly suited for day trips, where an enclosed frontal cabin is not required. The C-7 is certified for 6 passengers compared to C-8’s capacity of 8.

When will the C-8 be delivered?

First deliveries will occur during Q4 2022. Contact sales for more detailed information on today’s delivery dates.

What is the maximum swell a Candela can handle?

A Candela generally outperforms regular leisure boats in rough weather. The maximum wave height when foiling is approximately 1.2 meters from wave peak to valley.

What is the range at high speed?

The estimated range is 57 nautical miles at 22 knots. This means you can cruise for more than two hours without noise, emissions or wake.

There are many other electric boats out there. What makes the Candela C-8 different?

The Candela C-8 is the only electric boat with the range of a petrol boat at higher speeds, and also the only hydrofoiling electric boat available on the market currently. Hydrofoils bring several benefits that other electric boats can’t offer; vastly reduced noise levels at higher speeds, faster charging speeds per NM of travel, a much smoother ride in rough weather or even small waves, and little to no wake generation. A battery pack of a 110 kWh or more in a planing boat will only result in 20-30 nautical miles of range (even if some boat makers unrealistically claim higher range). The only way of solving this energy equation is to use hydrofoils. A Candela C-8 can achieve an estimated 57 NM with a battery pack of 69 kWh.

How does Candela C-8 handle high waves and rough water?

Candela C-8’s seakeeping capabilities are second to none for its size. Instead of smashing into the waves, the C-8 flies over them. Thanks to the foils, the ride will be smoother than any conventional boat in moderate waves. Waves up to 1.1 meters pass just under the hull. In rougher conditions, C-8 operates like any other boat, the efficient planing hull and a “planing mode” means that you can operate the boat as you would any other, with the foils acting as a keel to provide extra stability.

What happens if you hit something in the water?

The foils are made from carbon fiber and are dimensioned to carry the weight of the boat. Thus, they are extremely strong, so hitting smaller debris will have little to no effect. Hitting a bigger object – a large log, a submerged container or a shallow spot in the water- will result in the foil breaking off at a designated point. Thus, the boat’s hull is spared from damage otherwise incurred on regular boats.

Why are Candela boats the longest-range electric boats on the market?

Candela C-8 and C-7 are foiling electric boats. The foils lift the boat out of the water, reducing drag and thus reducing energy consumption by 80% compared to a normal, gas powered boat of the same size.

There are many other electric boats out there. What makes the Candela C-7 different?

All other electrical boats one the market have planing hulls which are draggy and therefore unsuited to electrification.
A 7.7 m long planing leisure boat consumes 12-18 times more fuel than a family car. At the same time, one kilo of the best lithium-ion batteries contains just a few percent of the energy that can be extracted from a kilo of gasoline. Because of this, planing electrical boats are doomed to either short range or low speed. A battery pack of a 100 kWh capacity or more in a planing boat will only result in 20-30 nautical miles of range at 20 knots (even if some boat makers unrealistically claim higher range). The only way of solving this energy equation is to use hydrofoils.

How does Candela C-7 handle high waves and rough water?

Better than anything else you’ve driven. Candela C-7’s seakeeping capabilities are second to none. Instead of pounding the waves, we fly over them. There’s no slamming, no heaving or rolling. Waves up to 1,2 meter just pass under the hull.
In really rough conditions, Candela C-7 is like any other boat. You just reduce speed. However, the foils now act like a keel and give extra stability. See more on our YouTube channel.

Why is Candela the longest-range electric boat on the market?

Our Candela’s are hydrofoiling boats. The foils lift the boat out of the water and reduce energy consumption by 80 percent compared to a normal, gas powered boat of the same size.

How many C-7s have been built and delivered?

Serial production of the C-7 resulted in 32 delivered boats, from our factory outside Stockholm, Sweden. The C-7 is no longer in production and has been replaced by the Candela C-8.

What is the cost of driving a Candela C-7?

The C-7 is 95 percent cheaper to drive than a gas-powered boat! A full charge costs €5-7. A comparable fossil fuel bowrider would use fuel for €200.

Does the Candela C-7 produce any wake at high speeds?

Nearly none. The foils cut through the surface without producing any swell, so sensitive marine habitats, moored boats and docks are spared from wake impact.

How do you keep the boat stable?

We use an advanced control system that makes the naturally unstable boat stable as a rock in just about any condition. Two ultrasonic sensors in the bow measure wave height. Height, roll and pitch are judged by sensors. These sensors adjust the foils 100 times per second, keeping the boat stable.

What materials do you use for the hull?

We exclusively use carbon fiber.

What about maintenance?

Going electric means no complicated engine, fewer breakdowns and less maintenance. We recommend one scheduled service appointment per year. Also, in cold climates, winterization should be done.

Where is the boat manufactured?

Candela is made in Stockholm, right in the eastern Swedish archipelago. Assembly is done in our own factory on the island of Lidingö, Stockholm, where we also make the carbon fiber deck. The hull and deck are made 100% in-house.

Are the foils retractable? Can you drive in shallow water?

Yes, the foils are fully retractable by the push of a button. In shallow water mode, draft is 0,7 meters. Candela C-7 can be launched and stored on a custom float-on trailer.

What happens if you hit something in the water?

The foils are made from carbon fiber and are extremely strong, so hitting smaller debris will have little to no effect. Hitting a bigger object – a log or rock for example – will result in the foil breaking off at a designated point. Thus, the boat’s hull is spared from damage and buoyancy guaranteed.

Can I still order a Candela C-7?

We have ended the production of our iconic Candela C-7 to focus on the Candela C-8. There are a limited number of demo and market boats for sale, ready for quick delivery. Contact us to know more about the different boats available.

What is the maximum passenger capacity?

Driver + 700kg.

What are the charging specifications of C-7?

The C-7 can receive a maximum 48 Amps regardless of voltage with a 42 KWh battery capacity. The C-7 can also be adapted to handle split-phase charging upon request. The C-7 can utilize 11kW AC charging and will then charge to full in approximately 4 hours. A standard 3.3kW shore power setup increases that time to approximately 12 hours.

What is the maximum passenger capacity?

6 passengers, plus driver.

Are the foils retractable? Can you drive in shallow water?

Yes, the foils are fully retractable by the push of a button. In shallow water mode, draft is 0,7 meters. Candela P-8 Voyager can be launched and stored on a custom float-on trailer.

What is the range and speed?

The range of 40 nautical miles (at cruise speed) can vary, depending on load and winds, but this is a realistic estimate based on a loaded boat encountering some headwind. Cruise speed is 22 knots, top speed 27.

What wave heights can the P-8 Voyager tackle?

The P-8 can foil through 1.2 m high waves, for example choppy wind waves or larger wakes from other vessels. If waves are higher, the P-8 can be driven as a conventional planing boat, albeit with reduced range. In slow-speed displacement mode with foils kept fully extended, rolling is greatly reduced as the foils act like “keels”, stabilizing the boat.

Will the cabin be air-conditioned?

Yes, as an option, and there will be an option for a heater as well.

What is the draught when the P-12 is docked?

To be announced, but in line with conventional ferries. The foils will be retractable, just like Candela C-8 and C-7.

What is the expected range with 30 pax at a speed of 15 m/s?

The project target is 60 nautical miles at service speed, which is between 20 and 25 knots.

Does the captain require a special kind of training to foil the Candela P-12?

All captains need a familiarisation with new vessels. Piloting a Candela P-12 will be similar to driving an automatic car. Just steer and use the throttle.

How many kW of power will the commercial boats require?

2 x 60 kW is the projected power needed for the P-12. Conventional diesel motor planing ferries need about 600 kW.

How do you work with sustainability in your commercial vessels?

All Candela vessels use fully submerged hydrofoils in a specific configuration. We employ one large, straight main foil close to the center of gravity and a smaller foil in the aft, attached to the propulsion unit. All Candela foil systems are retractable for trailing, storage and shallow water operation. As for the wing profile, in the pursuit of the perfect relation between efficiency and performance, we have designed our own proprietary shape for our foils. To offset the environmental footprint of the carbon fiber and batteries in our vessels, we have built them to last a long time. Moreover, we build light, meaning we need less carbon fiber and smaller batteries and end up using a lot less energy to transport passengers than our competitors.

Will the Candela commercial vessels be accessible for wheelchairs?

They will be accessible for wheelchairs and bicycles.

What is the range at high speed?

The range for C-8 is 50 nautical miles in 20 knots. This means you can cruise for more than two hours without noise, emissions or wake.

What is the top speed and corresponding range?

Top speed is 30 knots, with a range of 32 nautical miles.

What motor and battery do you use in the C-7?

Candela C-7:

Battery: 40 kWh lithium ion NMC battery pack (adapted from the BMW i3).
Motor: 70 kW for take off, 16 kW in 23 knots, 37 kW full speed.

What is the maximum passenger capacity of the C-7?

Driver + 700 kg.

What are the maintenance requirements?

In terms of service costs, an electric boat inherently requires less service than a fossil fuel equivalent due to fewer moving parts. Our Candela C-POD in particular is projected to have a 3000 hour service life. We recommend one scheduled service appointment with a Candela certified service technician. In colder climates, winterization should be performed before the boat is put into cold-storage.

How do you keep the boat stable?

We use an advanced control system that stabilizes the naturally unstable boat in just about any condition. Sensors around the perimeter of our boats measure wave height and feed this information to our Flight Controller. Height, roll and pitch data are as well. The Flight Controller is then able to adjust the position at up to 100 times per second, in order to achieve stability.

What materials do you use for the hull?

We exclusively use carbon fiber in all of our boats. Currently, there are no alternative materials that meet our expectations of stiffness, weight, longevity and cost.

Which foil configuration and wing profile do you use?

All Candela vessels use fully submerged hydrofoils in a specific configuration. We employ one large, straight main foil close to the center of gravity and a smaller foil in the aft, attached to the propulsion unit. All Candela foil systems are retractable for trailing, storage and shallow water operation. As for the wing profile, in the pursuit of the perfect relation between efficiency and performance, we have designed our own proprietary shape for our foils. To offset the environmental footprint of the carbon fiber and batteries in our vessels, we have built them to last a long time. Moreover, we build light, meaning we need less carbon fiber and smaller batteries and end up using a lot less energy to transport passengers than our competitors.

What software do you use in your boats?

To give our users the best possible experience, we develop all customer facing software in-house. This includes the foil control software. We’ve chosen this challenging but rewarding path of building our own stuff, for several reasons. Firstly, we aim to make boating frictionless – the software should interface seamlessly with the features of the boat. We were simply not happy with the available third party options out there. Secondly, remotely performed software updates should be easily done, and should provide a constantly improving and ever more robust user experience. Thirdly, if you need help, our service team can remotely log in to your boat’s system to help out.

Is shipping included in the price?

For all orders of Candela vessels, shipping is calculated separately and is not included in the listed price.