FlyTahoe chief executive and owner Ryan Meinzer reveals what the launch of a Candela ‘flying ferry’ at Lake Tahoe, US, will mean for the area and its passengers
The first electric ‘flying ferry’ is coming to the US.
The Candela P-12 model will introduce the concept of an electric, hydrofoiling ferry when it arrives in Lake Tahoe, California.
It was in October 2024 that the world’s first electric hydrofoil ferry line took off in Stockholm. Candela’s ferry Nova has set out to eliminate emissions from Stockholm’s public transport while halving commute times. Candela is a Swedish tech company with a mission to accelerate the shift to fossil fuel-free waterways. Since launching its first leisure model, the Candela C-7, in 2019, Candela has manufactured more than 100 vessels to clients around the world. In 2024, Candela introduced the world’s first electric hydrofoil ferry, the Candela P-12, which has been sold to customers in Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Germany, and now, the US.
There is certainly a need for the ferry at the Lake. Today, there is no transit service across the North and South of the lake – only the option of driving around it by car. FlyTahoe chief executive and owner Ryan Meinzer explains, “One of the more recent waterborne transit efforts, a small seasonal shuttle on the West and North Shores over a decade ago, was short-lived – largely a matter of timing, as a severe drought reduced access to its main marina and supporting land-based micro transit was not yet in place.”
But he points out it was a “valuable” early effort that highlighted both the promise and the challenges of waterborne transit in Tahoe, and “we’re grateful to build on the foundation it created”.
Mr Meinzer adds, “Visitation to Tahoe has grown nearly fivefold since then, land-based transit options have matured, and technology has advanced to make electric hydrofoils dramatically more efficient to operate.”
FlyTahoe has built directly on this foundation with a model designed for long-term success: drought-resilient marinas, seamless integration with micro and regional transit services, and a fleet-based approach that ensures frequency, scalability and year-round reliability.
Mr Meinzer says, “Where fuel once ranked among the largest costs for traditional vessels, FlyTahoe’s all-electric hydrofoils will eliminate fuel entirely, significantly reduce maintenance needs, and deliver far greater operating efficiency. That efficiency strengthens the business model while supporting affordable fares and broader socioeconomic mobility. Subject to regulatory approval, this would not only be the first true cross-lake transit service in Tahoe since the historic SS Tahoe, but also the first electric flying ferry in America – quiet, efficient and zero emissions – setting a national precedent for sustainable mobility.”
FlyTahoe has chosen the Candela P-12 hydrofoil ferry. Mr Meinzer explains the decision, “The Candela P-12 was the breakthrough FlyTahoe needed for massive impact because it’s the only electric hydrofoil vessel currently operating in public service that combines commercial certification with a commercial-scale 30-passenger design, while accommodating wheelchairs, bikes, skis and all the adventure gear that defines the Tahoe community. That scale is essential for Tahoe, where more than 20,000 car trips are made between the North and South shores each day: a single vessel can move the needle, but a fleet is envisioned to truly change the game.
The P-12’s unique synergy of electric and flight technology makes it not only fast, quiet and safe, but also the first model capable of delivering reliable, high-frequency, scalable mass transit. By design,
FlyTahoe’s fleet model avoids deadheading, increases utilisation and allows elastic scalability to meet demand.”
This is why, he says, the P-12 is “exceptionally” well-suited to Tahoe’s conditions: its computer-guided hydrofoils adjust 100 times per second, keeping the vessel stable even in high winds and flying smoothly above 1-m chop to eliminate seasickness. It cruises at about 48 km with enough battery range for a full round trip across the lake and produces no wake, preventing shoreline erosion.
He continues, “Because the foils fully retract, it can dock in shallower waters, and since Lake Tahoe never freezes, it can operate year-round – meeting demand during both the busy summer and peak winter seasons. What is often a stressful 1.5+ hour drive between North and South Tahoe will become a spectacular 30-minute trip for both locals and visitors alike.”
The model has been customised to Lake Tahoe. The US build plan will ensure Jones Act compliance, while the ferry is being adapted with wheelchair accessibility and racks for skis.
Mr Meinzer says, “Just as importantly, we’ve approached FlyTahoe with transparency and respect for basin stewards to ensure the service integrates seamlessly with local priorities. We’ve worked hard to address valid concerns around tech readiness, pricing and landside co-ordination, and our model is designed to complement existing systems under Park-Once tenets with co-ordinated solutions for aquatic invasive species mitigation, parking and micro transit. FlyTahoe is about shaping a truly sustainable mass-transit solution that balances accessibility, inclusivity and equity for both locals and visitors, while directly supporting the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency’s (TRPA) Regional
Transportation Plan (RTP) goals for environmental protection, multimodal mobility and resiliency.”
As of July 2025, FlyTahoe’s planned cross-lake electric flying ferry has been highlighted as a key environmental improvement project in the TRPA RTP.
