Cars or really any vehicle on land are not the only thing that needs to go electric. If we’re going to do better by the planet, everything we use, from the skies to the oceans, needs to be clean and sustainable. Much like the auto industry, watercraft have been undergoing a change toward electric power. And some automakers found an opportunity to profit on their already developed electrification technology to help. The latest water attraction was just revealed at the 76th Annual Cannes Film Festival in France and might be the most fancy boat in a German package out there.
It’s called “The Icon,” and is a collaboration between BMW and luxury yacht maker TYDE — and both have some racing chops. Just, don’t get your hopes up on thinking this thing will blast through the waves though. Its top speed is limited to just 30 knots or just over 55 km/h.
Viewed straight on, the boat is impressive. The Icon is painted in a two tone turquoise and bronze paint scheme. Occupants sit aside large glass windows that come to a triangular point up front while pillars and a rudder like sail hangout back.
Sustainability is the name of the game of course. Power for the boat — it’s actually a hydrofoil — comes from a pair of 100 kWh electric motors that BMW says converts the energy supplied by six batteries taken from donor BMW i3s.
The luxury of this thing is more impressive and may be a bit over the top for some. BMW calls the interior a “social meeting place” as the interior is very lounge-like with colours only people with money could bear to have and keep clean. Passenger seating rotates 360 degrees so everyone can talk to everyone else, while each seat features a tablet based infotainment system that’s within reach.
Up front, the pilot gets treated to a massive 32-inch touchscreen with 6k display running BMW’s current eighth generation operating system with iDrive. The best part — the cherry on top to this magnificent streusel of a craft — is the orchestrated soundtrack made special for The Icon by award-winning German composer Hans Zimmer.
BMW hasn’t shared whether or not it has plans to build this thing for customer use. Wouldn’t that be a sight to see… or even hear?