Being able to traverse the globe in a superyacht is one way of knowing you have made it in life. Sailing across the deep blue sea with nothing holding you back as you stop at every port as and when you please (and of course to fuel up too). Thanks to Zurich-based company Solar Impact, you can now do just that without ever needing to stop with the world’s first solar-powered yacht.
Swiss firm Solar Impact AG finally debuts its Solar Impact yacht after five years of research. The main selling point of the yacht is its usage of solar array panels at the top of the vehicle. Through the use of solar panels, it helps to eliminate the excess noise that comes from traditional engines.
The Solar Impact yacht also comes with an 800-kWh battery pack, which can last for 10 hours of cruising. This can also be extended with the help of the solar panels generating backup energy from sunlight. The yacht also comes with a pair of 65-kW diesel engines on-board, should weather conditions reduces the intensity of the sun. At the bottom of the yacht sits two torpedo-shaped buoyancy bodies right below the water surface. This will help to greatly reduce the rolling and heeling of the yacht in choppy conditions.
The yacht also boasts 1,000-kW all-electric power with a maximum speed of 22 knots, which is way more than the suggested 5 knots that are needed to comfortably cruise around the world.
At 78-feet long, the Solar Impact yacht is said to be longer than that of a blue whale. It can accommodate up to 10 people comfortably with four double bedrooms and a master suite. It also boasts up to 2,400 sqft of living space as well as a 1,000 sqft salon with a panoramic 360° view. What’s great about the Solar Impact is that it can be piloted by a single person while the rest will be assisted through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
There is no announcement of the official launch date and pricing of the Solar Impact yacht. However, with the Solar Impact yacht already creating waves in the luxury yacht scene, it is only a matter of time before someone else comes up with a similar or slightly better concept.
Wi-Liam Teh
Senior Writer
Wi-Liam is a geek at heart with a penchant for tattoos. Never without a drink in hand (preferably whisky, gin, or Guinness), he is also a writer by day and a keyboard warrior by night. On his day off, he masquerades as a streetwear and sneakerhead enthusiast while his bank account says otherwise.
