India Orders World's Largest Fleet of Electric Hydrofoils from Candela

Mumbai, India will be home to the world’s largest fleet of electric hydrofoiling ferries after placing the largest order ever from Swedish manufacturer Candela.

A fleet of eleven Candela P-12 electric commuter ferries were ordered by JalVimana Shuttles in Mumbai, India, and will service two of Mumbai’s busiest waterways -- between the Gateway of India and Alibaug, a coastal city on the outskirts of Mumbai, and from the Gateway of India to Elephanta Island, a popular tourist stop about 10 km (6.2 miles) from the mainland.

“This is a groundbreaking project that unlocks the full potential of Mumbai's waterways for efficient commuting — and by investing in hydrofoil technology, the city is leapfrogging legacy waterborne transport systems,” says Candela CEO Gustav Hasselskog.

Both routes for the new ferries currently take 2-3 hours by car but will be cut down to less than 30 minutes by traveling across the water. The city is also in the midst of designing a third line connecting the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport with South Mumbai, a distance of roughly 40 km (25 miles) by land that goes through the heart of Mumbai's worst traffic, but could be drastically reduced if traveled by water. The airport is expected to open in late 2025.

Candela has led the charge in commercial electric ferry adoption, having already introduced vessels to cities in Stockholm, Sweden, Lake Tahoe in the U.S.A, and Neom in Saudi Arabia.

The electric P-12 uses s hydrofoil technology to lift the vessel's hull one meter (3.2 ft) above the water’s surface, allowing it to glide above the water and reduce drag and achieve a cruising speed of about 25 knots (46 km/h). When hydrofoiling, the boat's energy consumption is reduced by 80% compared to plowing through waves when not on plane.

Mumbai is India's financial capital and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. The government of Maharashtra state, which includes Mumbai, has begun a series of major infrastructure investments to overhaul transport in the megacity by focusing new development on sea rather than land. The city already deals with massive traffic congestion due to 23 million residents using the overstretched road system. To combat the traffic, the state plans to invest in thousands of ferries over time, according to the Times of India.

“Candela exists to accelerate the shift to clean and efficient waterborne transport,” added Hasselskog.

“We’re honoured to support Maharashtra’s bold vision and delighted that JalVimana has chosen P-12 to lead the transformation. With the P-12, we will show that our foiling electric ferries can add a vital new layer of mobility to Mumbai.”

Candela has seen significant momentum in recent months amidst its push for global adoption of electric hydrofoiling techniology. Last month, Hasselskog set a world record by completing the first-ever intercontinental hydrofoiling trip between Europe and Africa. Hasselskog and a team of Candela engineers used the company's C-8 hydrofoil to cross from Sotogrande, Spain, to Ceuta, North Africa — a 24-nautical mile trip — in just over an hour.

The P-12 ferry, meanwhile, is Candela's largest offering and is available in three configurations: the P-12 Shuttle, the P-12 Business, and the P-12 Voyager. The Shuttle configuration seats up to 30 passengers and has allocated spaces for bicycles (or strollers or wheelchairs). The Business version features a premium interior with seating for 12 to 20 passengers and the Voyager version offers flexibility in interior design that caters to both private leisure and commercial clients. The P-12 has a range of 40-50 nautical miles (75-90 km) per charge.

JalVimana’s CEO, Niraj Thakur, said, “We believe Candela’s next-generation P-12 will be a giant leap for Mumbai and towards our national goals of a sustainable future for our vast Indian coastline and inland waterways. JalVimana is honoured to bring this Swedish gift to our ancient shores.”

You can see the P-12 in use in Candeal's home city of Stockholm in the video below:

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