BMW and TYDE have officially unveiled their battery-powered watercraft at the Port de Cannes in France.
The companies believe THE ICON is the first battery-powered marine craft of its size to be able to operate at high speeds using battery power.
This is thanks to its use of hydrofoils, which reduce energy consumption by up to 80 percent compared with a conventional hull. Hydrofoils allow the craft to ride on wing structures below the water level, while the hull floats above the surface of the water.
This design is similar to that executed by Candela in the development of its C-8 electric day cruiser, which is a smaller model than THE ICON.
THE ICON is powered by two 100kW electric motors that receive energy from six BMW i3 batteries, providing it with a range of more than 50 nautical miles (approximately 100km).
The craft is 13.5 metres long and has an operating speed of 24 knots, while its maximum speed is 30 knots (55km/h).
It was designed at BMW’s Designworks innovation hub and its development was then entrusted to boat maker, TYDE.
