This Electric Hydrofoil Ferry Could Skip the Lake Tahoe Traffic Jam
The proposed FlyTahoe ferry by Candela could cut Lake Tahoe traffic and protect lake clarity.
Getty Images
Anyone who has driven to Lake Tahoe during powder season knows the traffic is real. The region draws 15 million visitors a year, and gridlock gets worst in peak season and during winter road closures. Now a possible fix is a step closer to reality. FlyTahoe, an electric hydrofoil ferry that would carry people across the lake and cut vehicle miles, emissions and road sediment, has announced its plans to enter the market, pending regulatory approval.
The boat is the Candela P-12, which holds up to 30 passengers plus their skis, snowboards and bikes. It travels at up to 25 knots with a range of 40 nautical miles, lifting above the water on electric hydrofoils, so it leaves no wake, makes no noise and produces zero emissions. A demonstration boat, the Vessev VS-9, has already made a test flight on the lake in 2- to 3-foot chop and 20-knot winds. The Candela is also delivering boats to Sweden and Norway for fjord crossings next year.
Fewer cars matters for the lake itself. Road sediment washes into the watershed, and cars are one of the leading threats to Tahoe’s clarity. And we all know how important it is to Keep Tahoe Blue.
FlyTahoe is privately funded and still pre-operations. Non-commercial demonstrations are expected through 2027, with the first U.S.-built vessel arriving in early 2028. The goal is to run sunup to sundown, up to 301 days a year, with pricing the company says will be competitive for tourists and affordable for locals.
California is eyeing the water and sky in other places, too. San Francisco Bay Ferry has ordered three battery-electric, 150-passenger catamaran ferries from All American Marine, with the first set to start service on shorter routes in early 2027. In April, Joby Aviation flew an electric air taxi from Oakland toward the Marin Headlands, landing about 10 minutes after takeoff, though air taxi companies can’t begin regular commercial flights until the FAA certifies their aircraft. Down south, Archer Aviation is the official air taxi provider for the 2028 LA Olympics and plans a downtown vertiport with AEG at LA Live, expected to be ready in time for the Games.
Most of these projects are still waiting on approvals, financing or testing, FlyTahoe included. If regulators sign off, the first U.S.-built vessel could be on the lake in early 2028, which gives Tahoe snow-goers something to look forward to down the road.
