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The flying Candela C-7 won Monaco’s most prestigious electric speedboat race. By beating conventional electric boats that pack ten times the power, the ultra-efficient C-7 has shown why future boats will outsmart, say its builders.
Candela C-7 is the first mass-produced electric hydrofoil boat. It is also the best-selling premium electric boat in Europe and has since its introduction in 2019 won several awards for the innovative technology that allows it to fly above the surface, using 80% less energy than boats. conventional.
Participating in Friday’s YCM international speed record race at the Monaco Energy Challenge, the world’s largest electric and new energy boat competition organized by the Monaco Yacht Club, the Swedish-made C-7 beat 14 other boats electric within the 1/8 nautical mile. speed race. At 27,055 knots on average, the Candela C-7 crossed the finish line at a speed of over 31 knots, despite the bad weather and the big waves.
The C-7 has more in common with an airplane than a boat. The control system resembles that of a modern jet fighter, such as the F-16. As the driver you simply steer and control the speed, everything else is handled by the computer
Even more impressive, the ultra-efficient C-7 beats conventional hulled electric motor boats with motors ten times the size – showing why the hydrofoil is the future of powerboats.
The 25-foot Candela C-7 only needs 25 horsepower to sail at a speed of 20 knots. With a maximum power of 87 hp at take-off, its electric motor is tiny compared to engines found on conventional and planing motorboats of the same size. Due to the high hydrodynamic drag, planing craft typically require several hundred horsepower to achieve high speeds.
- It’s a great day for electric boating. We wanted to show that instead of just installing bigger engines and more batteries in inefficient conventional hulls, hydrofoils allow you to use less power to reach higher speeds and achieve long range. This is how we can make sailing really sustainable, said Mikael Mahlberg of Candela after the race.
- Flying over water also gives you a smoother ride in rough weather, Mahlberg added.
- The C-7 has more in common with an airplane than a ship. The control system resembles that of a modern jet fighter, such as the F-16. As the driver, you just steer and control the speed, everything else is handled by the computer, Mahlberg said.
The C-7 is equipped with Candela’s sophisticated on-board computer, the flight controller, which automatically adjusts the hydrofoil 100 times per second to account for crosswind, waves and different loads. Receiving input from several different sensors, the flight controller calculates the optimum angle of attack of the foil to ensure a smooth ride.
Candela’s hydrofoil system – with two underwater wings that can be retracted for easy storage when towing the boat or entering shallow harbors – is now used for larger electric boats. Next year Candela will launch the P-30 electric foil ferry to Stockholm city, along with a 12-person water taxi called Candela P-12.
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