Electric Hydroplane Hits the Water in Sweden
Making boats electric is inherently difficult. A 7,5m long planing recreational boat consumes 12-18 times more fuel than a family car. At the same time, one kg of gasoline contains ~15 times more usable energy than one kg of the most compact batteries. Because of this, electric boats are not viewed as a viable alternative to combustion engine boats. Existing models are slow or have a very limited range. The current market for electric boats is consequently small, estimated to be less than 1%. The energy equation must be solved.
Since 2015, the team behind Candela Speed Boat AB is determined to find ways to make electric boats with both range and speed. The team consists of some of the leading experts in their respective fields with backgrounds from Eurocopter (structural composite engineering), Saab Gripen (flight control electronics), Artemis and Oracle racing (America’s Cup, hydrodynamics), Scania (transmission & hydraulics), and the Technical University of Denmark (dynamic modeling and software algorithms). Also, the company is managed by people with many years of senior management and CEO-level experience from both start-ups and large global corporations.
Target Reached!
At the end of 2016, a full-scale prototype was launched and, after some fine-tuning, the target of more than 50 nautical miles per charge in 20 knots was reached! That has never been achieved by an electric pleasure boat before. The journey up until this point can be seen in the video below.
The achieved range is ~4 times higher than the best electric boats currently on the market and is close to or on par with combustion engine boats of the same size.
The energy reduction is achieved by the use of:
- Hydrofoils which massively reduce the friction against the water compared to a planing boat
- An advanced control system that stabilizes the boat
- A very light design using carbon composites and design principles from the aviation industry
In addition to solving the range issue, the Candela Seven features:
- No slamming in moderate waves
- A completely silent ride
- Almost no generation of wakes which preserves lakes and coast lines
- A mileage cost that is 95% lower than a comparable gasoline boat
- Very limited maintenance costs due to a less complex electric drive train
After a second prototype, they are now well beyond proof of concept and have a production facility set up for serial production. The first customer deliveries were completed in the spring of 2019.
Jeremy Mallette is co-founder of International Sportsman. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, he has spent more than a decade in the outdoor industry, from hiking and camping to silencers and hunting. His father taught him to shoot at age six, and he received his first firearm at age eight — a 1942 Colt Commando .38 special revolver. He enjoys yearly trips to Kansas for pheasant hunting, spending time with his children at the deer lease, and collecting unique firearms.