Norway just ordered 20 ‘flying’ electric ferries in historic deal

Norway is doubling down on electric maritime transport in a big way, placing an order for 20 of Candela’s P-12 electric hydrofoil ferries in what’s being described as the largest deployment of its kind to date.

The order comes from Norwegian transport operator Boreal AS and will see the futuristic “flying” ferries deployed along Norway’s rugged coastline and fjords, where electrifying high-speed routes has long been a challenge. 

While Norway has already led the world in electrifying road transport – and even conventional car ferries – fast passenger vessels have remained stubbornly diesel-powered. That’s largely due to the energy demands of high-speed boats and the lack of grid infrastructure in more remote coastal areas. 

Candela’s solution is to reduce the energy problem rather than brute-force it.

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The P-12 uses computer-controlled carbon fiber hydrofoils to lift the hull out of the water at speeds above 18 knots. By effectively “flying” over the surface, drag is reduced so significantly that energy consumption drops by roughly 80% compared to traditional vessels of similar size. 

That efficiency unlocks a combination that’s been difficult to achieve until now: meaningful range and useful speed on battery power alone.

The P-12 can cruise at around 25 knots (about 46 km/h) while carrying up to 25 passengers, with a range of roughly 40 nautical miles (74 km). That puts it in direct competition with the diesel-powered “hurtigbåtar” that currently connect many of Norway’s coastal communities. 

And because it uses far less energy, it also avoids one of the biggest bottlenecks for electric ferries: charging infrastructure. Instead of requiring megawatt-scale charging systems, the P-12 can recharge in about an hour using standard DC fast chargers similar to those used for electric cars. 

That’s a huge deal in a country where grid upgrades can take years, especially in rural areas.

The first two vessels are expected to be delivered in 2027, with the remaining boats rolling out in stages through 2030. 

Electrek’s Take

I’ve spent time on Candela’s hydrofoil boats before, and the experience is honestly hard to overstate. They’re quiet, smooth, and feel more like gliding than boating.

But what’s really interesting here goes beyond merely the tech – it’s the scale that Candela has grown to.

Candela has been proving this concept with pilot programs and smaller deployments, but a 20-vessel order signals something different. Major transit systems are now going beyond a few units and are incorporating these high-tech, high-efficiency electric ferries in increasingly larger numbers.

And Norway is the perfect proving ground. It already leads the world in EV adoption on land, and it has a coastline that practically demands better alternatives to diesel ferries. If hydrofoils can crack high-speed electric maritime transport here, it’s a strong signal that the model can expand globally.

We’ve seen e-bikes and electric cars chip away at short trips on land. Now we’re starting to see the same thing happen on water – and if this works as expected, it could finally bring electrification to one of the last major holdouts in transportation.