Swedish Ferry Sails 160 Miles on $230 of Electricity

A Swedish electric ferry just proved that clean waterways don't need millions in charging infrastructure or rigid routes. Candela's P-12 hydrofoiling ferry sailed 160 nautical miles from Gothenburg, Sweden to Oslo, Norway over three days, using just $230 worth of electricity.

What makes this ferry different is the technology hiding beneath its hull. Computer-controlled wings lift the vessel out of the water once it reaches cruising speed, cutting through the air instead of plowing through waves.

That simple shift slashes energy consumption by 80% compared to conventional boats. The result is a vessel that travels faster and farther on a smaller battery, meaning shorter charging times and lower costs.

The P-12 cruises at 25 knots and can cover 40 nautical miles on a single charge. It's already carrying passengers in Stockholm's public transit system, holding the title of fastest electric passenger ferry currently in service.

The Norway journey was designed to showcase real-world flexibility. In Oslo, conventional electric ferries depend on swapping multi-megawatt battery containers at each stop, requiring charging infrastructure that has cost hundreds of millions of Norwegian kroner.

By contrast, the P-12 recharged at standard DC fast-charging stations in about an hour. When those weren't available, the crew used a portable 360-kilowatt charger towed behind an electric Ford F-150 pickup truck.

"Charging infrastructure is the hidden cost of electrifying conventional vessels," said Gabriele De Mattia, Candela's project engineer who led the record-setting voyage. "The breakthrough with P-12 is that it is fast to charge and extremely flexible in where it can operate."

The Ripple Effect

This journey arrives at a crucial moment for waterways worldwide. Thousands of diesel ferries currently pump pollution into the air and water on fixed routes every single day.

The P-12's efficiency opens doors that seemed locked just years ago. Cities with weak electrical grids or limited budgets can now consider electric ferries without building megawatt-scale charging stations.

Scandinavian countries are already leading the charge, with battery-electric solutions powering the entire energy chain, from the ferry itself down to the electric pickup delivering portable charging. That integrated approach shows how clean transportation can work across multiple systems.

The flexibility matters just as much as the technology. Routes can adapt to changing needs instead of being locked into expensive infrastructure investments.

Candela keeps pushing boundaries, from distance records to speed achievements, proving that electric vessels don't have to be slow or limited. They may not cross oceans yet, but they're perfectly suited to replace the everyday ferries connecting coastal cities and island communities.

Clean, quiet waterways just sailed from future concept into present reality.