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A novel type of inventiveness has emerged. At the 76th Cannes Film Festival, BMW and boat manufacturer Tyde unveiled the world’s first battery-powered watercraft of its kind.

The distinctive vessel, aptly named The Icon, represents the German automaker’s expansion of its electrification strategy beyond the road. The newcomer measures 13.15 metres in length and is propelled by a pair of 100 kW electric motors that convert the 240 kW of energy supplied by the BMW i3’s six batteries into a range of just over 100 kilometres with a maximum speed of 250 kilometres per hour.

Using a forward-thinking approach to luxury, The Icon combines distinctive design and onboard comfort while minimising environmental impact. The Icon integrates a yacht racing-derived innovation that redefines the relationship between the vessel and the water. The use of hydrofoils reduces the energy requirements of the watercraft by up to 80 per cent while enabling the hull to float above the water’s surface, as opposed to conventional boats, which are submerged.

In its design language, the watercraft departs from conventional marine shapes in order to convey The Icon’s unique appeal. The Icon’s body consists of a flat vessel and a central support element for the architecture’s transparency. The prism-like glass shape permits a width of 4.5 metres in the rear section, producing the ideal space for a plush lounge area. The vessel evokes the delicate angularity of origami with its light, LED-illuminated structure that floats on the surface of the water.

Large, geometrically arranged windows and a sloping ceiling give The Icon an almost kaleidoscopic interior appearance. It resembles an opulent lounge more than a cabin due to its green and blue colour scheme. Designed to facilitate social interaction and entertainment in equal measure, 360-degree rotating seating equipped with infotainment systems represents the ideal meeting hub on the water. An exclusive on-board soundtrack composed by Academy Award-winning luminary Hans Zimmer enhances the ambience.