2026-02-19
9 分钟The Economist Hello, this is Alok Jha,
host of Babbage, our weekly podcast on science and technology.
Welcome to Editors Pics.
We've chosen an unmissable article from the latest edition of The Economist.
Please do have a listen.
The Candela C8 looks like a minimalist speedboat
as it bobs in the water on a snowy morning in Stockholm.
Powered by electricity rather than a noisy outboard motor,
it is eerily quiet as it pulls away from the dock.
But once the boat reaches open water and starts to pick up speed, something extraordinary happens.
It takes off.
The hull lifts entirely out of the water until it is flying half a metre above the surface,
supported by three thin red struts.
These struts are in turn supported by two retractable hydrofoils, or underwater wings,
one between the two front struts and one under the rear strut, which turn forward motion into lift.
Propulsion is provided by a torpedo-shaped motor assembly with two coaxial propellers in the centre of the rear wing.
Lifting the hull out of the water reduces drag and thus the energy required for propulsion by as much as 80%.
Sensors around the boat measure the waves and adjust the tilt of the wings 100 times a second,
providing such a solid, smooth ride that the boat feels as though it is on rails.
Okay, we're landing now, says the pilot after a few minutes, and the hull sinks back into the water.