Flying electric ship halves commute times in Washington D.C.

October 14, 2025

Thanks to computer-guided wings under the water’s surface, Candela’s vessels lift and fly above the waves, reducing drag and energy consumption by up to 80% compared to conventional boats. This revolution in efficiency has made the new Candela P-12 — the world’s first electric flying ferry — a true game changer for urban transport. It was recently named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2025.

The novel hydrofoiling technology allows high speeds without creating any wake, eliminating shoreline erosion and enabling exemptions from speed limits on urban waterways, which are typically governed by “no-wake” rules.

For instance, on the Potomac River, a water commute from Georgetown to Ronald Reagan Washington Airport could take just six minutes — compared to 20 minutes by car or 37 minutes by public transport during rush hour. Similarly, commuters from Alexandria heading to The Wharf could enjoy a serene 10-minute ride on the P-12 Shuttle — the world’s fastest electric ship.

Beyond speed, the P-12 offers a much more comfortable ride than noisy diesel vessels. Its computer-stabilized foils mitigate slamming and prevent seasickness, while its silent electric C-POD propulsion provides a smooth, vibration-free journey. And thanks to its low energy usage, the vessel is not only efficient — it’s also around 60% cheaper to operate than diesel ferries, making it competitive with land based forms of transport such as buses.

After proving to be a success in the daily public transport service in Stockholm, where travel times have been cut in half, the Candela P-12 is set to begin operations on Lake Tahoe next year, in addition to Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and Mumbai, where fleets will be deployed. With more than 40 ships on order, Candela P-12 is the best-selling electric passenger vessel to date.

“We’re already in discussions with several U.S. companies that see the potential of using flying electric vessels to bypass congestion. We’re not merely replacing diesel ferries — we’re enabling a new layer of transport by utilizing the underused waterways,” says Gustav Hasselskog, founder and CEO of Candela.

By demonstrating its foil technology in Washington, Candela aims to show how U.S. cities can turn their waterways into fast, emission-free transport corridors — delivering both climate and quality-of-life benefits.

In conjunction with the Swedish Green Transition Summit — a high-level forum organized by the Sweden-US Green Transition Initiative to showcase innovations and foster collaboration between policymakers, businesses, and researchers to accelerate sustainable, low-carbon development — Candela will perform media demo rides in the Candela C-8 flying vessel on the Potomac River from October 17th to 23rd, adjacent to the Embassy of Sweden.

Mikael Mahlberg, Head of Communications at Candela

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