If you’re an environmentally conscious one-percenter, driving an electric car simply isn’t enough. You need to embrace green living in every aspect of your affluent lifestyle, and that includes your ultra-posh boat. Enter Silent-Yachts, an Austrian manufacturer of premium solar-powered luxury watercraft that has just partnered with Volkswagen Group to incorporate the auto giant’s MEB modular electric drive platform into its next super-yacht.
Even though Silent-Yachts will develop the solar electric catamaran based around the MEB electric drive bits, the yacht itself will be designed by Cupra, the performance marque that spun off of Spanish VW Group brand Seat.
The MEB electric platform was designed for electric cars such as the upcoming Volkswagen ID4 SUV, ID Buzz microbus tribute concept, and many other EVs. However, VW Group made the MEB architecture available to third parties last year, which makes possible limited-production models like the ID Buggy, an MEB-based small EV from Ford, and, well, even this venture with Silent-Yachts.
The platform is designed to support dual-motor all-wheel drive, and in this application, those motors will turn the catamaran’s two propellers. Silent-Yachts’ own photovoltaic solar system will capture energy from the sun to store in the MEB platform’s integrated battery packs, which can then be used to propel the vessel and power its many onboard amenities.
So what will this sleek, solar-powered, Cupra-designed mega-yacht cost? We’re going to guess somewhere in the if-you-have-to-ask-you-can’t-afford-it range.
