Yahoo Autos BMW just revealed an electric hydrofoil boat at the Cannes Film Festival
Were you expecting to see an electric BMW hydrofoil boat today? Neither were we, but here it is. Named “The Icon,” this boat is a collaboration between BMW and boat maker TYDE, and it was just revealed at the Cannes Film Festival.
Electric boats may not have caught on in the way electric cars have, but this concept boat was built in an effort to change minds. Calling it a concept may not be giving it enough credit, too, as BMW is calling it a “production-ready vehicle” for both private and commercial use.
As for what’s making it go, BMW says it supplied six battery packs for energy, totaling 240 kWh. This energy is put to use via two 134-horsepower electric motors that BMW says will allow the boat to hit a maximum speed of 30 knots — that’s about 34.5 mph. Range is impressive, as BMW says The Icon can travel approximately 62 miles on a full charge.
Contributing to this range figure is the fact that the boat is a hydrofoil design, which BMW says reduces the energy required to clip through the water by up to 80% versus a conventional boat design. You’ll notice in the photos that the boat is riding on wing-like structures below the water level, which lifts the hull above the surface. A byproduct of this is a more comfortable ride, but since The Icon is electric, it also produces minimal noise and doesn’t suffer from powertrain-related vibrations.
