Austrian boatbuilder Silent Yachts has already gained a fair bit of attention with its solar electric catamarans. Its just-announced latest model should continue that trend, as it's the result of a partnership with automakers Volkswagen and Cupra.
According to Silent Yachts, the as-yet unnamed solar-powered electric catamaran will feature the company's own photovoltaic system. This will be used to charge batteries that will in turn provide power to the yacht's onboard electronics, and to its electric propulsion system.
That system will be based around Volkswagen's modular electric drive matrix (MEB) platform. MEB was initially designed as an optimized means of delivering power from a bank of chassis-integrated batteries to a motor on a car's rear axle – the platform can also be set up for four-wheel-drive. Volkswagen has since made the technology available for third-party applications, hence its upcoming use for spinning the catamaran's propellers.
The yacht is being designed by Cupra, which is a high-performance sub-brand of VW-owned Spanish automaker Seat. As is the case with Silent Yachts' other models, the company claims that it should be quieter-running and more eco-friendly than conventional fuel-burning catamarans, while also being less costly to maintain.
We're told that details such as specs, pricing and availability should be released early next year.
Source: Silent Yachts
