Swedish premium electric performance car company Polestar has signed a multi-year agreement to supply battery and charging systems to Stockholm-based hydrofoil electric boat company Candela. The agreement marks one of the world’s first direct battery technology collaborations between companies from the automotive and marine industries.
Launched in 2014 by Gustav Hasselskog, an engineer, Candela uses computer-guided hydrofoils – underwater wings that lift the hull above the surface, thereby overcoming the friction of water.
As leading EV brands in their respective sectors, both Polestar, a NASDAQ-listed company, and Candela share common values of innovative design and commitments to sustainability. Utilising computer-guided hydrofoils, Candela’s electric boats ‘fly’ above the surface and use up to 80% less energy at high speeds compared to traditional motorboats.
Candela stresses that its boats produce zero emissions and minimal noise, combining a light environmental footprint with better passenger comfort and a smoother cruising experience compared to traditional counterparts. By combining Polestar’s batteries with Candela’s pioneering electric hydrofoil technology, both companies aim to “propel the growth of sustainable electric mobility in society”.
Commenting on the partnership, Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO said: “That Polestar will be part of future projects with Candela, by supplying an essential part for the innovative propulsion of their boats, is awesome. As a battery supplier to Candela, we can help drive the transition to cleaner oceans and lakes, and electrify waterborne transport.”
This year, Candela will be launching the Candela P-8 Voyager taxi boat and the P-12 electric ferry, which will bring the company’s revolutionary electric hydrofoil technology to commercial vessels.
Gustav Hasselskog, CEO of Candela, said that while electrification of cars has come a long way in the last few years, the marine sector has fallen behind. “Marrying our efficient hydrofoil technology to high-capacity batteries from Polestar means we can speed up the mass market adoption of electric boats together.”
The supply of battery and charging systems to a third party – a first for Polestar as an EV manufacturer – marks the start of a broader intended partnership between Polestar and Candela, with both companies committed to exploring further opportunities for future collaboration.