BMW Unveils Battery-Powered Luxury Boat With Exclusive Hans Zimmer Soundscape

While many of the world’s foremost film stars have flocked to the 76th Cannes Film Festival to showcase the newest works on the silver screen, one major world premiere occurred in the port of the southern French town instead.

BMW teamed up with boatmaker Tyde to present The Icon—a one-of-a-kind, environmentally-friendly boat that the companies claim is the “first battery-powered marine craft of its kind,” bringing together eco, emission-free travel and the height of luxury.

Upon first glance, one will notice the intriguing transparent design of the watercraft, comprising a particularly flat hull and central support element that complements its basic, prism-like outline. This gives way to a spacious lounge where travelers can enjoy views of the water below.

According to the automaker, the lounge is reminiscent of a kaleidoscope with its angled glass doors, luxurious carpet, and segments of metal sheeting with granular surfaces that reflect the sunlight onto the boat’s floor.

Special attention was paid to the seating arrangement, with 360° rotating seats installed so that passengers can enjoy any point of view while keeping entertained with a table-based infotainment system just within arm’s reach.

Measuring 13.15 meters (43.1 feet) and boasting a top speed of 30 knots, The Icon required the foresight and skills of myriad experts to come to life. Ushering in a new era of marine mobility were the designers at BMW Group subsidiary Designworks and the engineers at Tyde.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an opulent launch befitting of the famed automaker if the newly-crafted boat didn’t come with a special surprise. In this case, the watercraft comes with an exclusive soundtrack composed by the legendary luminary Hans Zimmer.

Within the interior of The Icon, passengers will be treated to a grand soundscape with the Dolby Atmos system, which, naturally, film score maestro Hans Zimmer had a hand in finetuning. Sit back, relax, and tune into the incredible acoustic creations by the Hollywood composer.

To provide customers with a craft that offered a never-before-seen mobility experience, BMW looked to a tool common within yacht racing: hydrofoils. The special lifting surface reduces the amount of energy needed to power a boat by up to 80% when compared to a conventional hull.

Plus, the rolling technology incorporated into the marine craft, which sees its wing structures ride below the surface of the water, allows for higher speeds when traveling and greater comfort for passengers on board.

In total, a pair of 100 kW electric motors are able to convert the 240 kWh of power supplied by six batteries into a distance of over 50 nautical miles. And like its electric counterparts on the road, the boat moves almost silently, without vibrations or shocks or even stoking up waves in the sea.

The companies emphasized the watercraft revealed at Cannes isn’t just a prototype, but a fully production-ready example of pioneering technology. Could we soon see more carbon-free water-bound creations from the duo? It’s certainly likely.

[via Yanko Design and Motor1, images via BMW Group]