This Electric Taxi Boat Barely Touches The Water's Surface
On Monday at Salone Nautica in Venice, Swedish electric boat-maker Candela unveiled the P-8 Voyager all-electric flying water taxi. Known for its hydrofoil electric boats, Candela has debuted multiple models, including the C-7 and the C-8. While the C-7 was a largely hand-build model with a top speed of 30 knots and a range of 50 nautical miles at 22 knots on a single charge, the C-8 is the mass-production model that's longer than its predecessor and has a higher range of over 50 nautical miles at 24 knots on a single charge.
With people looking for more efficient vehicles that are both cheap to run and less harmful to the environment, electric cars and electric boats are gaining increasing traction. However, all-electric vessels are still primarily restricted to ferries and small passenger boats on inland waterways, as the massive power requirements to operate large container vessels means that electric ships, even with huge batteries, are impractical for long-distance cargo haulage. Nevertheless, electric boats still make a positive impact for the most part, and Candela's latest offering is a case in point.
Related: Can Volkswagen Overtake Tesla To Become Top EV Company By 2025?
Candela's P-8 Voyager is intended to replace traditional water taxis with gas-guzzling internal combustion engines. The vessel is based on the C-8 electric speedboat and uses a hydrofoil system that enables it to fly over the water's surface. The company claims that the system has been designed by dozens of engineers with experience in the drone, aerospace and software industries. According to Candela, the onboard flight controller in the P-8 Voyager automatically changes the foil's angle of attack when the boat reaches 16 knots, allowing it to
Read more on screenrant.com
