At Tahoe City Marina, a 10-passenger vessel built by New Zealand company Vessev offers a preview of the technology.
The electric boat uses underwater wings, called hydrofoils, to lift its hull above the water as it gains speed. That reduces drag and creates the appearance of a vessel flying above the lake.
Fergal O’Connor, Vessev’s chief commercial officer, said the design allows the vessel to travel quietly and efficiently.
“We could be cruising at 25, 26 knots ... and have a cabin that sounds like it does right now,” O’Connor said during a demonstration aboard the vessel.
He said the hydrofoil design can make the boat more energy-efficient than a conventional vessel sitting in the water.
Fly Tahoe founder and CEO Ryan Meinzer said the idea grew out of years of driving between the lake’s north and south shores.
“Driving an hour, hour and a half between North and South Lake countless times per year, and wondering why is there not a ferry,” Meinzer said.
Meinzer envisions a fleet of electric hydrofoil ferries in different sizes, potentially reaching 20 vessels, that could serve the roughly 20,000 trips made daily between North and South Lake Tahoe.
A cross-lake journey could take about 30 minutes, according to him.
The VS-9 vessel currently being demonstrated is not operating commercially. Fly Tahoe hopes to continue testing through 2027 and anticipates having its first U.S.-manufactured vessel in early 2028.
The proposal has drawn interest from environmental advocates who see potential in offering an alternative to driving around the lake, where vehicle traffic contributes to pollution.
A ferry service would need to carry enough passengers to make a meaningful difference, said Jesse Patterson, chief strategy officer at Keep Tahoe Blue.
“It would have to be a service open to the public and be able to move enough people to really have an impact,” Patterson said.
He also said passengers would need connections to public transit and other transportation options at the docks.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) includes waterborne transit in its vision for the region’s transportation future. But the agency has not received a formal permit application from Fly Tahoe.
“To our knowledge, the application process hasn't begun,” said Eric Cachinero, TRPA’s public information officer.
Before a commercial service can move forward, Fly Tahoe will need to navigate the permitting process and determine where passengers would board and how they would connect to transportation on shore.
For now, the hydrofoil demonstrations offer a glimpse of a possible new way to cross Lake Tahoe. Whether that technology becomes a public transportation option will depend on the company’s ability to turn its proposal into a service that meets the region’s transportation needs.
