Candela sets impressive new world record for longest 24-hour electric boat distance
The Candela C-8 Polestar Edition electric boat has just crushed the previous record for distance sailed in 24 hours by an electric boat.
Swedish electric boat maker Candela’s C-8 electric hydrofoil boats are known for their extreme efficiency, soaring through the air with less than 1% of the boat actually touching the water. Flying on submerged hydrofoils, the Candela C-8 uses just 20% of the energy needed by other boats.
That means the boat can use significantly less on-board battery to go much farther than higher-power electric boats with much larger batteries than Candela’s. And since Candela partnered with Polestar to provide the batteries and charging system for the C-8, it can take advantage of DC fast charging for short recharge stops during a journey.
In this case, the team at Stockholm-based Candela wasn’t just trying to demonstrate how efficient a single charge could be, but also how important DC fast charging is for marine applications.
As the company explained:
The aim here was not to drive as far as possible on one charge, but really to see how far we could drive in a day, using DC charging to quickly top up the battery – something owners will do, as DC charging networks grow in the US, Norway and along the French/Italian riviera.
The Candela team traded off drivers throughout the day and night, and used a DC charger with a Voltpack mobile battery system from Northvolt. Together they managed to cover 420 nautical miles (483 miles or 778 km) in 24 hours. The previous record was held by the team at Voltari who traveled 79 nautical miles (91 miles or 146 km) from Florida to the Bahamas, performed all on a single charge.
To put Candela’s 420-nautical-mile trip into perspective, that’s like traveling from London to Amsterdam and back again. Or for our American audience, traveling from Tampa, Florida, to New Orleans, or from San Francisco to San Diego. Wow, I always forget how big California is.
“This feat shows that fast, electric waterborne transport over long distances is viable today, not a distant future,” said Gustav Hasselskog, Candela’s CEO and founder, who piloted the C-8 during the record attempt.
The total cost for electricity worked out to approximately €110 (US $117), with Candela saying that a conventional boat would have used at least €1,400 (US $1,490) of fuel for the same long-distance journey.
Perhaps more impressive than just the distance covered was the team’s speed, which averaged 17 knots (19.5 mph or 31.5 km/h) throughout the 24 hours, including time stopped to charge. By comparison, Voltari’s boat crawled along at just over trolling speeds of around 3.95 knots (4.5 mph or 7.3 km/h) to accomplish their feat, taking 18 hours to complete the Florida to Bahamas journey that most boats cover in two to three hours.
While underway, the Candela C-8 traveled at close to its maximum speed at around 27 knots (31 mph or 50 km/h). The route consisted of a loop between Stockholm and the island of Tynningö, stopping to DC fast charge after each loop.
Candela’s impressive feat was performed in collaboration with battery maker Northvolt and charging station supplier Plug, to showcase how future DC charging networks for boats could look. Instead of making heavy investments in upgrading the local grid, islands could deploy battery systems like Northvolt’s Voltpack to ensure that there’s enough power available for fast charging, which could be a more cost-effective and quicker solution.
In this case, Northvolt’s Voltpack stood on the dock outside Candela’s Frihamnen office. Connected to a DC charger from Plug, it recharged the Candela C-8 a total of 17 times over the 24-hour span.
“With a relatively modest investment, charging stations could be built to fully electrify marine transport in the Stockholm archipelago. For a few hundred million euros, a charging network covering Europe’s coastal passenger transports would become a reality,” stated Hasselskog.
Electrek’s Take
While the 420 nautical miles in 24 hours is the sexy part of this story, the true unsung hero is the DC fast charging that made all of this possible (and of course the whole “flying electric boat” thing, which is just more proof that we’re all living in the future).
The setup from Northvolt and Plug showed an interesting solution to provide DC fast charging facilities, even when the local grid isn’t set up to handle such power. Seeing these systems dropped on islands around popular boating destinations could immediately turn those areas into capable electric boat highways for long-distance travel.
Obviously, it helps if your boat can fly to go even farther on that charge, but even old-fashioned boats that have to touch the water can of course benefit from readily available marine DC fast charging.
Nice job, Candela!
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Climate XChange’s Annual EV Raffle is back for the 10th year running – and for the first time ever, Climate XChange has two raffle options on the table! The nonprofit has helped lucky winners custom-order their ideal EVs for the past decade. Now you have the chance to kick off your holiday season with a brand new EV for as little as $100.
About half of the raffle tickets have been sold so far for each of the raffles – you can see the live ticket count on Climate XChange’s homepage – so your odds of winning are better than ever.
But don’t wait – raffle ticket sales end on December 8!
Climate XChange is working hard to help states transition to a zero-emissions economy. Every ticket you buy supports this mission while giving you a chance to drive home your dream EV.
Here’s how Climate XChange’s 10th Annual Raffle works:
The Luxury Raffle
- Grand Prize: The winner can choose any EV on the market, fully customized up to $120,000. This year, you can split the prize between two EVs if the total is $120,000 or less.
- Taxes covered: This raffle comes with no strings – Climate XChange also pays all of the taxes.
- Runner-up prizes: Even if you don’t win the Grand Prize, you still have a chance at the 2nd prize of $12,500 and the 3rd prize of $7,500.
- Ticket price: $250.
- Grand Prize Drawing: December 12, 2025.
- Only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle.
The Mini Raffle (New for 2025)
- Grand Prize: Choose any EV on the market, fully customized, up to $45,000. This is the perfect raffle if you’re ready to make the switch to an EV but aren’t in the market for a luxury model.
- Taxes covered: Climate XChange pays all the taxes on the Mini Raffle, too.
- Ticket price: $100.
- Only 3,500 tickets will be sold for the Mini Raffle.
Why it’s worth entering
For a decade, Climate XChange has run a raffle that’s fair, transparent, and exciting. Every ticket stub is printed, and the entire drawing is live-streamed, including the loading of the raffle drum. Independent auditors also oversee the process.
Plus, your odds on the Luxury and Mini Raffles are far better than most car raffles, and they’re even better if you enter both.
Remember that only 5,000 tickets will be sold for the Luxury Raffle and only 3,500 for the Mini Raffle, and around half of the available tickets have been sold so far, so don’t miss your shot at your dream EV!
Climate XChange personally works with the winners to help them build and order their dream EVs. The winner of the Ninth Annual EV Raffle built a gorgeous storm blue Rivian R1T.
How to enter
Go to CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek before December 8 to buy your ticket. Start dreaming up your perfect EV – and know that no matter what, you’re helping accelerate the shift to clean energy.
Who is Climate XChange?
Climate XChange (CXC) is a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies because they’re critical in accelerating the transition to a zero-emissions economy. CXC advances state climate policy through its State Climate Policy Network (SCPN) – a community of more than 15,000 advocates and policymakers – and its State Climate Policy Dashboard, a leading data platform for tracking climate action across the US.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The CSC Monterey – one of the most charming little electric scooters on the US market – has dropped to a shockingly low $1,699, down from its original $2,899 MSRP. That’s nearly half off for a full-size, street-legal electric scooter that channels major Honda Super Cub energy, but without the gas, noise, or maintenance of the original.
CSC Motorcycles, based in Azusa, California, has a long history of importing and supporting small-format electric and gas bikes, but the Monterey has always stood out as the brand’s “fun vibes first” model. With its step-through frame, big retro headlight, slim bodywork, and upright seating position, it looks like something from a 1960s postcard – just brought into the modern era with lithium batteries and a brushless hub motor.
I had my first experience on one of these scooters back in 2021, when I reviewed the then-new model here on Electrek. I instantly fell in love with it and even got one for my dad. It now lives at his place and I think he gets just as much joy from looking at it in his garage as riding it.
You can see my review video below.
The performance is solidly moped-class, which is exactly what it’s designed for. A 2,400W rear hub motor pushes the Monterey up to a claimed 30 mph or 48 km/h (I found it really topped out at closer to 32 mph or 51 km/h), making it perfect for city streets, beach towns, and lower-speed suburban routes.
A 60V, roughly 1.6 kWh removable battery offers around 30–40 miles (48-64 km) of real-world range, depending on how aggressively you twist the throttle. It’s commuter-ready, grocery-run-ready, and campus-ready right out of the crate.
It’s also remarkably approachable. At around 181 pounds (82 kg), the Monterey is light for a sit-down scooter, making it easy to maneuver and park. There’s a small storage cubby, LED lighting, and the usual simple twist-and-go operation. And it comes with full support from CSC, a company that keeps a massive warehouse stocked with components and spare parts.
My sister has a CSC SG250 (I’m still trying to convert her to electric) and has gotten great support from them in the past, including from their mechanics walking her through carburetor questions over the phone. So I know from personal experience that CSC is a great company that stands behind its bikes.
But the real story here is the price. Scooters in this class typically hover between $2,500 and $4,500, and electric retro-style models often jump well above that.
At $1,699, the Monterey is one of the least expensive street-legal electric scooters available from a reputable US distributor, especially one that actually stocks parts and provides phone support.
If you’ve been curious about swapping a few car errands for something electric – or you just want a fun, vintage-styled runabout for getting around town – this is one of the best deals of the year.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss a big Tesla Robotaxi setback, the new Mercedes-Benz CLA EV, Bollinger is over, and more.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. Sales end on Dec. 8th for its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment3 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024