Candela C-8 electric boat to share Polestar 2 battery and charging technology

The new Candela C-8 ‘powered by Polestar’ is the first product from a partnership between Polestar, the Swedish electric performance car brand, and Candela, the Swedish electric boat maker.

The two Swedish premium mobility brands reached an agreement in August 2022 for Polestar to supply batteries and technology to power Candela’s electric hydrofoil boats. The Candela C-8 ‘powered by Polestar’ is intended to use the same 69kWh battery pack and DC charging technology as the Polestar 2 Standard range Single motor. 

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Candela expects a range of up to 57 nautical miles on one charge at a cruising speed of 22 knots. This compares favourably with internal combustion engine powerboats and with a high-speed range two-to-three times longer than conventional electric speedboats.

Gustav Hasselskog, Candela CEO and founder, said: “With batteries from Polestar, the Candela C-8 becomes the first electric vessel that can travel to destinations that were previously only reachable by combustion engine boats. 

“The Candela C-8 powered by Polestar marks a significant breakthrough for electrification at sea.”

This high electric performance at sea is possible thanks to a combination of innovative technology from both Candela and Polestar. The Candela C-8 uses an efficient direct drive pod motor – the Candela C-POD – and ‘flies’ on computer-guided hydrofoils that lift the hull above the water at high speeds, reducing energy consumption by up to 80 per cent compared to traditional motorboats.

In addition to the 69kWh battery pack from Polestar 2, Polestar also supplies DC fast charging technology for the Candela C-8, as well as sharing R&D capabilities to integrate the technology and software in a marine application to transfer it from land to sea.

Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO, said: “Sharing know-how on batteries and vehicle engineering with Candela will help reach our shared goal of transitioning to a future where all forms of transport are sustainable.” 

The supply of batteries and charging components to a third party in this way is a first for Polestar as an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer and extends Polestar’s efforts to drive sustainable electric mobility beyond the automotive industry.

Ian Osborne
Ian Osborne
Editor-in-Chief at ElectricDrives

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