In 2024, the 30-passenger P-12 from Candela will be added to Stockholm's public transport system, cutting the 55-minute commute down to just 25 minutes.
After completing test flights in Sweden, the world's first electric flying passenger ship will now go into production in preparation for its 2024 introduction into Stockholm's public transportation system.
The Swedish tech company Candela Technology AB created the 39-foot (12-meter) long Candela P-12, which can accommodate up to 30 passengers and runs on a 252 kilowatt-hour battery. In comparison, a 2024 Tesla Model 3 can have a battery that holds up to 75 kWh.
With a range of up to 50 nautical miles (92.6 kilometres), it can travel at top speeds of 30 knots (35 mph, or 56 km/h). It can fly at up to 25 knots (29 mph, or 46 km/h).
According to a statement from Candela's CEO Gustav Hasselskog, "it will revolutionise how we travel on water."
The boat 'flies' because of hydrofoils, which are underwater lifting surfaces that function similarly to airfoils to assist aeroplanes in taking off. Hydrofoils raise a boat's hull above the water's surface. By lowering water resistance, hydrofoils allow boats to go faster while consuming less energy than traditional boats.
According to the company's statement, the P-12 uses computer-guided hydrofoils to elevate its hull and uses 80% less energy than traditional vessels while travelling at speeds of more than 18 knots (21 mph, or 33 km/h).
Two specially designed engines with a combined peak power of 340 kilowatts power Candela's flying vessel. The P-12's digital flight control system can change the hydrofoils' angle up to 100 times per second while in flight to accommodate wind, waves, and water currents. According to the statement released by the company, this system might lessen the likelihood that travellers will become seasick.
The P-12, which is powered by electricity, also seeks to be more environmentally friendly than traditional ships. Because of their high hull energy consumption, the majority of electric ships that have been built to date have a restricted range and slow speeds, which has kept adoption rates low. However, the P-12 can travel farther on battery power because it uses less power than traditional boats due to its hydrofoils, which reduce water friction.
The electric car will travel a TK mile route between Stockholm's city centre and the Ekerö suburb starting next year. This will reduce the commute's 55-minute duration to just 25 minutes, in part because the vehicle is exempt from speed limits because it creates less wake when driving over water.
"Today, in many cities, congested roads are common while waterways — humanity's oldest transport infrastructure — remain underutilised for rapid commuting," Hasselskog stated in the statement. "With the P-12, you'll be able to quickly connect within cities by using these waterways as green highways. The fastest route is frequently by water."