Candela Speedboat presents water taxi
The Swedish company Candela Speedboat has presented the Candela P-12, an electric water taxi for twelve people. Pre-orders for the hydrofoil are already possible, with deliveries scheduled to begin at the end of 2022.
The company has already been offering its Candela Seven electric hydrofoil since last year and also relies on the hydrofoil principle for the P-12. At a certain speed, the hydrofoils generate enough buoyancy under water to lift the hull of the boat out of the water, which greatly reduces the water resistance and also the waves generated.
With a length of 8.5 metres and a width of 2.5 metres, the P-12 offers a top speed of 30 knots and a range of 45 nautical miles (at 22 knots). Converted, this corresponds to a top speed of 55.5 km/h and a range of 83 kilometres at 37 km/h. At this speed, the water taxi is said to be able to travel at a speed of up to 30 kilometres per hour. At this speed, the water taxi should be able to travel for two hours.
Candela does not mention the energy content and the chemistry of the battery in the announcement, but with a DC fast charge, the power storage unit should be able to be recharged in less than an hour. According to a calculation by the manufacturer, operation with electricity is supposed to be up to 85 per cent cheaper than with comparable ships with combustion engines. However, a petrol price of 0.60 euros per litre and an electricity price of 0.10 euros per kilowatt-hour are used – so each operator should repeat the calculation with the values that apply to him and not calculate a flat 85 per cent lower cost.
In contrast to the Seven, the water taxi has an enclosed cabin. To ensure that passengers can still see as much of their natural surroundings as possible, Candela has installed large windows in the cabin. This should be particularly interesting if the P-12 is used as an excursion boat and is really out in a natural environment and not cruising through the harbour area of a big city as a water taxi.
Pre-orders are already possible, deliveries are to start at the end of 2022. Like the smaller hydrofoil, the P-12 also has a carbon-fibre hull for weight reasons – so the water taxi is not likely to be cheap to buy. After all, the P-12 is supposed to share many components with the larger P-30. This model is currently being developed for the city of Stockholm.
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