The Candela P-12, the world's first electric hydrofoil ship, will service the planned water network in NEOM, the gigantic, sustainable development taking shape in Northwest Saudi Arabia. NEOM has procured an initial batch of eight of the foiling, electric shuttle ships, making it the largest announced order in Candela’s history.
Candela P-12 was launched last year and is set to debut in Stockholm’s public transport during fall 2024.
Flying above the waves on computer-guided underwater wings, hydrofoils, the P-12 uses 80% less energy than conventional ships, allowing it to combine long range and high speed for the first time in an electric vessel. With a speed of 25 knots and more than two hours of endurance, the Candela P-12 holds the distinction of being the fastest and longest-range electric passenger ship to date.
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The hydrofoils also unlock a new level of comfort. Passengers will fly smoothly over the Red Sea, as the P-12’s digital flight control system balances the ship 100 times per second by adjusting the hydrofoils' angle of attack, keeping it stable even in winds and waves.
As fuel usage rather than the manufacturing phase makes up the bulk of a ships’ environmental impact, energy efficiency is crucial to curb emissions. Since Candela’s foiling vessels use 80% less energy than conventional ships of the same size, a life cycle analysis performed by the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm concluded that a P-12 will emit 97.5% less CO2 during its lifetime compared to a conventional diesel vessel of the same size.
The electric Candela C-POD motors, located in pods underwater, are exceptionally silent and create minimal disturbance for marine wildlife. When flying, the P-12 creates only a negligible wake, allowing for quicker journeys where conventional ships are speed-restricted due to their massive and damaging wakes.
The first batch of eight vessels will be delivered in 2025 and early 2026.
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