The Lake Tahoe Regional Transportation Plan has identified a new feature to the region that will help ease the transportation issue.
FlyTahoe’s planned cross-lake electric flying ferry – Candela P-12 – has been highlighted as a key environmental improvement project by the Tahoe transportation organization. The proposed project offers a potential solution to cut traffic, lower emissions, and protect the lake.
With over 15 million visitors each year, Lake Tahoe faces mounting traffic congestion, especially during peak seasons and winter road closures. At the same time, emissions and road sediment from such traffic threaten the lake’s world-renowned clarity, adding environmental pressure to the region’s mobility challenges.
Already in operation in Stockholm, the Candela P-12 Shuttle is redefining waterborne transit. Unlike conventional ferries, this vessel literally flies above the water using hydrofoil technology. As the hull rises on submerged wings, drag is drastically reduced, allowing for faster, smoother, and more efficient travel.
That is more than enough to carry visitors and locals swiftly across the expanse of Lake Tahoe without disturbing its delicate shoreline. Silent, sleek, and completely emission-free, the P-12 produces no wake, no erosion, and none of the disruptive noise typically associated with motorized watercraft.
Candela’s hydrofoil technology consumes 80 percent less energy than conventional ships. That efficiency, combined with zero-emission electric propulsion, makes the P-12 not only eco-friendly but also cost-effective for operators. Lower operational costs ensure that this vision for sustainable transit is not just idealistic but practical.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), a unique bi-state (California-Nevada) agency with federal regulatory authority granted by Congress, adopted the Connections 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) in July, which highlights FlyTahoe’s sustainable water transit network with the centerpiece P-12 cross-lake ferry as a key concept for waterborne transit in the Tahoe Region.
Previously listed by the TRPA as an Environmental Improvement Project, FlyTahoe’s inclusion reflects the project’s potential to achieve regional environmental goals, including reducing vehicle miles, road sediment, and emissions.
The RTP was developed over four years with input from more than 10,000 residents, local governments, tribal nations, and agencies.
Inclusion in this plan not only signals strong regional support in principle, but also introduces the FlyTahoe concept into the federal transportation planning framework, helping position the project for future eligibility under the Federal Transportation Improvement Program.
“We’re deeply humbled to be highlighted by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency in its Regional Transportation Plan,” said Ryan Meinzer, Founder and CEO of FlyTahoe. “TRPA’s leadership reflects our shared vision: to preserve the beauty of Lake Tahoe while better connecting its shoreline communities.”
CANDELA P-12 AT A GLANCE
- Length: 39.24 feet
- Beam: 14.76 feet
- Weight: approximately 22,046 pounds
- Capacity: 30 seated passengers, plus 1 crew
- Propulsion: 2 x Candela C-POD, 320 kW peak power in total
- Charging: Up to 200 kW DC
- Service Speed: 28.8 mph
- Range: 40 nautical miles at 28.8 mph service speed
FlyTahoe will carry forward the cross-lake passenger ferry vision originally advanced by the Tahoe Transportation District and to support private sector investment in Lake Tahoe’s environmental protection.
Subject to regulatory approval, FlyTahoe aims to balance accessibility, inclusivity, and equity for both locals and visitors, while supporting the RTP’s goals, including environmental protection, multimodal mobility, safety, system performance, economic prosperity, and infrastructure resiliency.
For more information, please contact ryan@flytahoe.com OR mikael.mahlberg@candela.com
