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Lake Tahoe visitors and locals may one day be able to avoid the area’s busy, winding roads and instead choose to glide across the lake on a “flying” electric ferry.
Flytahoe and Sweden-based Candela are working on building this type of electric vessel in the United States. The electric boat can gain propulsion on the water through hydrofoils, a technology used in water sports such as surfboards, jet skis and racing yachts. Raise the hull above the waves.
The ferry would serve the California side of Lake Tahoe, carrying 30 passengers at a time across a roughly 20-mile stretch between the northern and southern ends of the lake. On a trip that takes two hours by car, 30 minutes each way is a huge time saver.
“This solves a significant transportation problem across the Tahoe Basin,” Fly Tahoe founder and CEO Ryan Mainzer said, adding the ferry could be operational by late 2025 or early 2026. said.
A 2012 Tahoe Transportation District report cited north-south ferry service as a solution to reduce traffic and enhance public transportation on Lake Tahoe. Despite initial analysis of large passenger diesel-fueled ferries, this option has not been developed. With millions of tourists visiting the region each year, Mainser said the time is right for an electric ferry system to reduce traffic and emissions.
District Manager Carl Hasty said he is not affiliated with Fly Tahoe or Candela, but believes the ferry could benefit the area if all permitting and infrastructure regulations can be met. .
“If you want to get from one end of the basin to the other, it can be difficult. There can be construction congestion in the summer. The amount alone can cause traffic jams. Add snow in the winter,” Hastie said.
“I think we have a role to play.”
Tahoe has multiple resorts on the north and south sides of the lake, but residents and tourists who want to visit from one area to another face long commutes. Mainzer’s interest in finding faster alternatives stemmed from his own snowboarding experiences, when he visited the area and weaved through traffic, wondering why there wasn’t a more seamless route. I am. He knew about hydrofoils for surfing and wakeboarding, and eventually learned about Candela’s efforts.
Hydrofoil technology, which allows for smooth sailing over waves, has been around for decades and continues to emerge on a large scale with the proliferation of electric power. Candela launched a ferry in Stockholm this year with a hydrofoil system suitable for electrification.
“It basically functions like a jet fighter… except the wings fly through water instead of air,” said Candela founder and CEO Gustav Hasselskog. said in a statement.
The Washington State Transportation Authority is working on its own hydrofoil electric ferry design in Puget Sound.
The Lake Tahoe passenger ship was originally scheduled to accommodate approximately 300 people per day on multiple boardings. Mainzer envisions future vehicles that can transport more passengers and improve accessibility.
In addition to building a vessel, which is required by federal maritime law to be built in the United States, there are several steps that must be taken before launching. Fly Tahoe will need to work with private and public marinas around the lake to ensure they have the proper infrastructure to charge the electric ferries, but Meinser said the electric ferries will be able to complete the round trip once fully charged. He says it can be done. The company will also be required to comply with various regulatory requirements related to permitting, design and shoreline effects, and to cooperate with local, state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard, which has authority over the lake.
“We want to make sure we solve this traffic problem while preserving the pristine beauty of this lake,” Mainzer said.
For those planning to take the ferry, visitor parking should be established that can accommodate bicycles but not cars.
Mainzer did not disclose the budget needed to build the flying electric ferry, but said a one-way ticket would initially cost about $50.
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