In an ideal future, we’ll all be able to enjoy a day out on the water on a boat that expresses zero emissions, has a limitless range and requires virtually no maintenance. It’s an idyllic sounding set of circumstances, but one that isn’t far away according to Silent Yachts thanks to their new 120 Explorer vessel.
The claims made about the Silent Yachts 120 Explorer might sound far fetched, but the yacht design company has close to two decades of experience and testing in the realm of solar powered boating. Back in 2004, the solar-pioneers and co-founders of Silent Yachts, Heike und Michael Köhler, began testing different methods of energy production and consumption on the water to be as self-sufficient as possible.
After five years on the water covering 15,000 miles in their test yacht, the pair began building their first vessel in the Solarwave 64 that became he first solar-powered self-sufficient catamaran. The Solarwave 64 was then thoroughly tested for another five years until 2014, including stints across the Agean, Black and Mediterranean seas entirely propelled and powered by solar energy.
RELATED: The SP110 Is San Lorenzo’s First Jet-Powered Superyacht
All of this testing has led to the 2021 launch of the Silent Yachts 120 Explorer, which promises limitless range, a propulsion system that is safe for marine life and noisless cruising. The team behind Silent Yachts stands by their product confidently too, with a lifetime warranty on the electric motors, an eight year warranty on the battery banks and the guarantee of trans-ocean capabilities.
The actual specifications of the Silent Yachts 120 Explorer include twin 340kw electric motors, an 800kw lithium battery and a trio of backup generators. It’s certainly not going to break any speed records, but when you consider everything else that the vessel delivers, a cruising speed of 10 knots and a top speed of up to 16 knots.
It’s certainly an impressive package offered by the Silent Yachts 120 Explorer, with delvieries expected to be starting soon. While there isn’t a price currently listed for the Silent Yachts 120 Explorer, a previous design arrived with an RRP of €19,000,000 (AU$28 million).
