BMW steps into the world of boats, this is The Icon

BMW The Icon

The Icon is the first battery-powered vessel of its kind. The specs? The vessel has a length of 13.15 meters and a top speed of 30 knots. It has a battery-electric powertrain. Responsible for the design of The Icon are the creatives at innovation hub Designworks, a subsidiary of BMW Group with studios in Los Angeles, Munich and Shanghai.

Hydrofoil

The Icon concerns a so-called hydrofoil. This type of boat has the advantage of an 80 percent lower energy requirement compared to a conventional hull. The so-called foiling technology – in which the vessel sails on wing structures below the water level, while the hull floats above the surface – also provides greater travel comfort and higher speeds.

Six batteries: 240 kWh

A pair of 100 kW electric motors provide propulsion. On board, BMW’s boat has a battery capacity of as much as 240 kWh, consisting of six batteries from the BMW i3. The range comes out to more than 50 nautical miles (about 100 km). For recreational boating, more than enough. The vessel can deliver a working speed of 24 knots, while the maximum speed is 30 knots (55 km/h).

No kidney grille

The Icon’s design is what you might call very special. Of course, it lacks a kidney grille, but this boat with prism-like shape and origami lightweight structure, is otherwise equipped with every convenience.

The vessel’s command post is located centrally on the deck. All instruments are done in BMW design. Among other things, we detect a 32-inch touchscreen display with 6k resolution and the look and feel of the BMW iDrive command/control system.

Fully production ready

Let one thing be clear: this is not a design study. No, BMW The Icon is fully production-ready. So those who pull out their wallets can surely buy one. Aimed at modern, urban lifestyles, the vessel can be used as a means of sea transportation by both luxury-conscious private customers and the commercial sector. A price is not known, but count on a few million euros.