British designer Richard Sauter, famed for some landmark automotive innovations, has unveiled plans for the worldâs first zero carbon megayacht, a hybrid craft combining solar and electric power with by Mercedes-Benz BlueTec clean diesel engines. Dubbed Transcendence, the sleek, high-performance 49 metre yacht will be capable of 25 knots under full power using what Sauter claims is the cleanest marine propulsion system in the world. Given his background the novel application of the latest eco-friendly technology from top marques like Mercedes and Porsche is unsurprising but welcome.
The yachtâs emissions are not zero at full power obviously, but the point is Transcendence is capable of 100% and operates normally at just 50%. Solar cells situated on PV deck spoilers rated at 30 kws in addition to KERS (kinetic energy regeneration) and plug-in sources of energy charge a lithium ion storage system that runs all the yachtâs services including AC, day and night. The same lithium UPS, rated at 1,000 kwh, allows Transcendence to achieve her maximum speed under peak loads or to navigate in and out of harbors with zero emissions under electric power alone. A bold design indeed and one which other naval architects will rush to duplicate should Sauter actually be able to pull it off.
