Austrian boatbuilder Silent Yachts is best known for its solar-powered catamarans. Now the company has announced the superyacht Silent 120 Explorer. This offers space for an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) and a personal submarine. The first Silent 120 Explorer is already under construction and will be launched this next year.
The luxury catamaran is 36.74 metres long, 13.85 metres wide and 10.46 metres high. The vessel uses multiple 40 kWp photovoltaic panels to charge an 800 kWh lithium-ion battery bank. This in turn drives two 340 kW electric motors, which achieve a top speed of 16 knots (30 km/h). The ship's more efficient cruising speed is about 8 knots (15 km/h). As many as three internal combustion generators can be used to provide back-up power and extend the yacht's range if the battery alone is not enough.
eVTOL
And yes, there is that eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) ... It is called the XP4 and is being developed by British aviation company VRCO. It is due for certification in 2024 and seats four people. The aircraft reaches a speed of 296 km/h and has a maximum flight time of one hour. The eVTOL lands and takes off from a helicopter pad on the roof of the Silent 120 Explorer. Here, the ship's solar panels are used to charge the battery. But if the yacht itself needs more power, the XP4 can provide it - just as electric cars can already be used to power homes, when needed.
And then there is the submarine ...
It is already available and is called Nemo. It has been built by the Dutch submarine company U-Boat Worx and can accommodate two people. Nemo can descend to a maximum depth of 100 metres and has a top speed of 3 knots (6 km/h). The submarine can operate autonomously for eight hours. Thanks to the Silent 120 Explorer, it can be stowed on the main deck next to the swimming pool (presumably with a small crane nearby), or in the tender garage in the port hull.
