The carbon fiber boat also carries an on-board computer (Reuters)
Lucerne, Switzerland:
The world‘s first electric hydrofoil speedboat, which reduces power consumption and noise – as well as seasickness – by “flying” above the waves, made its debut on Swiss lakes.
The Candela Seven can reach speeds of 55 km per hour when its foils take it out of the water. Its makers say it travels farther and easier than other electric boats.
The foils reduce the friction of the water – and the effect of the waves slamming in the boat – reducing energy consumption by 80% compared to normal diesel-powered boats and extending the range of the craft to 90 km (56 miles).
The carbon fiber boat also carries an on-board computer that automatically adjusts foil positions 100 times per second to reduce rolling and seasickness.
“Because we don’t have hitting waves, we don’t have a slam or bang and you really have a quiet and smooth ride,” Swiss importer Christian Vogel told Reuters.
Until now, electric boats have tended to sacrifice either speed or range due to the capacity limits of their batteries.
The Candela Seven made its Swiss debut on Lake Lucerne this week, with the Candela Speed Boat hoping to create new business with a European tour. The Stockholm-based company has delivered 16 boats since last year.
The boat, which costs around 250,000 euros ($ 296,000), would be perfect for Swiss lake towns like Zurich, Lucerne and Geneva, Vogel said.
“People could use it to cross lakes or go on day trips,” he said. “You can drive this with a clean environmental conscience, and it’s a lot of fun.”
(This story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
