Polestar EV battery packs now powering Candela electric hydrofoil boats

EV maker Polestar and electric hydrofoil boat maker Candela have unveiled the first product of their partnership, the C-8 ‘powered by Polestar’ electric watercraft boasting a range of up to 57 nautical miles on a single charge.

The two premium Swedish mobility brands announced a partnership back in August of 2022 which would see Polestar supply Candela with EV batteries for use in their electric hydrofoil boats.

Five months later and the first product of that partnership has been unveiled, with the Candela C-8 ‘powered by Polestar’ now available for order.

Using the same 69Kwh battery pack and DC charging technology that is used in the Polestar 2 Standard range Single motor, the Candela C-8 ‘powered by Polestar’ is expected to offer a range of up to 57 nautical miles (around 105 kilometres) on a single charge.

Able to cruise at speeds of 22 knots this puts the C-8 in the same ballpark as traditional internal combustion powerboats, and well and truly dominates conventional electric speedboats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rop12-Nu434

“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,” said Gustav Hasselskog, CEO and founder of Candela.

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

Polestar is also supplying its DC fast charging technology with the C-8 and is working with Candela to help integrate the technology and software in a marine application.

“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,” said Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar.

Pricing for the base model C-8 starts at €330,000 ($A508,000) and estimated delivery is currently scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2024. It is unclear, though, whether these numbers would be applicable to a delivery to Australia.