Candela's electric hydrofoil ferry completes a 160-nautical-mile voyage, showing long-range electric sea travel is viable.
The world’s longest electric sea journey by a passenger vessel has been completed, signaling a shift in how electric ferries could operate in the future.Sweden-based Candela says its electric hydrofoiling ferry, the P-12, has successfully traveled 160 nautical miles from Gothenburg to Oslo, proving that electric vessels are no longer limited to short, fixed routes or specialized charging infrastructure.
Electric ferries are expanding rapidly, particularly in Norway, where more than 100 are already in operation. But most remain constrained by high energy consumption and short ranges, forcing operators to rely on fixed routes and costly battery-swapping systems. These limitations have slowed wider adoption despite strong policy support for electrification.Candela set out to challenge that model by demonstrating how hydrofoil technology could dramatically reduce energy use. The P-12 is the world’s first serial-production electric hydrofoil ferry, designed to lift its hull above the water using computer-controlled submerged wings. Once airborne, drag drops sharply, cutting energy consumption by about 80 percent compared with conventional vessels.The 160-nautical-mile journey from Sweden’s west coast to Norway’s capital is the longest ever completed by an electric passenger ship. The voyage was carried out over three days, with planned charging and demonstration stops along the route.Hydrofoils change the mathAt cruising speeds above 20 knots, the P-12 flies above the water, allowing it to operate at higher speeds while consuming far less power. The ferry has a service speed of 25 knots and has exceeded 30 knots during trials, making it the fastest electric passenger vessel currently in operation. On a single charge, it can travel up to 40 nautical miles at cruising speed.The vessel has already been deployed in Stockholm’s public transport system, where it operates alongside conventional ferries. But the Oslo journey highlighted an even bigger advantage: flexibility. Unlike traditional electric ferries that depend on large battery containers swapped at fixed terminals, the P-12 can recharge using standard DC fast chargers.During the voyage, the ferry used Sweden’s existing DC fast-charging network, including Aqua SuperPower stations. Where fixed chargers were unavailable, the crew relied on a portable 360 kW DC charger connected to a mobile battery system towed by a Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickup.“Charging infrastructure is the hidden cost of electrifying conventional vessels,” said Gabriele De Mattia, project engineer at Candela and lead engineer for the voyage. “In many cases, building megawatt-scale chargers can cost as much as the vessels themselves. The breakthrough with P-12 is that it is fast to charge and extremely flexible in where it can operate.”Infrastructure costs under pressureThe contrast became especially clear upon arrival in Oslo. The city’s fastest conventional electric ferry operates a fixed 10-nautical-mile route and depends on swapping multi-megawatt-hour battery containers. That system alone has cost hundreds of millions of Norwegian kroner and has faced delays and cost overruns, limiting expansion to new routes.By comparison, Candela says the total electricity cost for the P-12’s record-setting journey was just over 200 euros. The result has renewed interest in whether hydrofoiling electric vessels could offer a more scalable and cost-effective path for electrifying passenger transport at sea.
Charging Infrastructure Electric Vessels Hydrofoil Technology Marine Engineering Maritime Electrification Sustainable Transport
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