Cannes, France
BMW has teamed up with German tech start-up TYDE to present a new 13.5-meter foiling watercraft revealing how future luxurious sea traveling will be.
Named The Icon, this battery-powered watercraft has an impressive range of over 50 nautical miles at 24 knots, with a maximum speed of 30 knots.
Hydrofoils aim to improve efficiency by up to 80 percent compared to a conventional hull and contribute to improved speeds and enhanced comfort while underway.
The boat’s design is characterized by a flat trimaran-style hull with a “prism-like” layout and a central support for the superstructure.
The sea-inspired two-tone exterior is enhanced by strips of LED lights, which carve out the boat’s profile by night.
The yacht has good head heights thanks to an “origami” style design which allows passengers to remain standing upright across the cabin.
The cabin is separated into twin lounge areas and a BMW-designed helm station, which features rotating helm seats that allow the space to function either as part of the social area or independently.
At the center of the helm station is a 32-inch touch digital control unit with 6k resolution that has been designed to look and feel like the BMW iDrive operating system. Voice control is also integrated into the same system.
The cabin is flanked by glass panels which promote a continuous connection to the water.
This ethos is extended to the swim platform on the aft, which spans 4.5 meters and creates an “exceptionally spacious” entrance to the cabin.
The craft has been designed “as a series product with pioneering technology for private or even commercial use” intended “to inspire CO2 -free mobility at sea”.
The Icon was presented during the Cannes Film Festival at the Port de Cannes, earlier this month.
Project: The Icon
Designers: Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH (BMW) and TYDE
Manufacturer: Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH
