The first electric hydrofoil ferry plies the waters around Stockholm. Candela photo
A proposal to establish some sort of ferry across Lake Tahoe has been in the works since 1996, according to the Tahoe Transportation District.
A timeline on tahoetransportation.org was last updated in 2017 to indicate a $486,000 Federal Highway Administration grant had been received for preliminary engineering and environmental work.
A March 2017 Tahoe Daily Tribune article on the grant reported that some sort of high-speed hydrofoil would be the preferred vessel for the work.
Enter a Nov. 21 announcement that a company called FlyTahoe proposes to bring an electric ferry that could cross Lake Tahoe in a half-hour.
Proposing to use a Candela P-12 electric ferry, company, FlyTahoe founder and CEO Ryan Meinzer told the Tahoe Daily Tribune that he hoped to start service by the end of next year or the beginning of 2026.
“It's ironic that while millions, myself included, drive around Lake Tahoe to admire its beauty, the road sediment we generate contributes to the largest threat to the lake's famous cobalt blue clarity,” Meinzer said. “Our service will provide a faster transport than cars or buses, while keeping Tahoe blue.”
There are a lot of hurdles before Meinzer can start service, including the federal Jones Act that requires vessels transporting goods between U.S. ports be built, owned, registered and crewed by U.S. citizens.
The P12 is built in Sweden, so that will require licensing construction to a U.S. manufacturer.
The hydrofoil costs around $1.9 million and launched regular service in Stockholm for the first time on Oct. 29.
"This fusion of flight and electric technologies not only unveils a powerful new business opportunity with nearly 10x operational efficiency but also offers an unmatched customer experience of comfort and safety,” Meinzer said. “Plus, we'll not just be moving people faster; we'll be boosting socio-economic mobility by connecting the north and south of the lake.”
The hydrofoil can transport 30 passengers at a time with room for their skiing or other recreation gear.
A cross-Tahoe ferry was proposed in 2015 as part of Douglas County’s transportation plan but dropped early on in the process.
