People are switching from gas-powered cars to EVs to fight climate change, but cars are just one source of emissions. All types of vehicles, including planes, trains, and boats, emit emissions. This applies to yachts that the rich lounge on. That’s why there’s a $500,000 solar-powered yacht available right now.

A total transition away from fossil fuels

Cars undoubtedly are responsible for a large chunk of emissions, but focusing too much on cars may ignore the other offenders. Fortunately, there are alternatives in almost every sector. For example, electric planes are pretty hard to do, so it may take a while before passenger planes go electric. 

That being said, boats can easily go electric. Boats have been powered by electricity for some time. This is precisely how nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines work. Their nuclear reactors create electricity, which allows them to travel forever. Obviously, it’s not a good idea to have nuclear-powered yachts. But, solar power is an excellent alternative. 

That’s why there are already a couple of electric yachts on the market. However, one of the newest and better ones seems promising. Here’s a look at the Aquanima 40, which its creator, Azura Marine, claims can cruise the oceans non-stop.

How the Azura Marine Aquanima 40 works

Since it’s solar-powered, it’s going to need solar panels. To get the most out of those panels, they’re going to need a lot of real estates to work with. That’s why the Aquanima 40 doesn’t look like a traditional yacht. According to Electrek, this solar-powered yacht has 10 kW worth of solar panels in total. They’re all placed on the roof of the yacht, which is rectangular and flat. There’s a ladder that’ll allow folks to climb onto the roof, too.

A 60 kWh battery pack will support that 10 kW solar panel array. Together, they’ll power the two 10 kW electric motors. Just like in a regular EV, those motors aren’t going to need much maintenance. They may need to be serviced roughly every 20,000 hours, but that’s longer than the amount of time most people spend on their yachts, according to Electrek.

Furthermore, there’s also an extensive rain catchment system, a water maker, and an air conditioning water recovery system. Electrek said that these features would make it so that folks won’t have to stop at a port to refill water. When combined with that solar-powered system, the Aquanima 40 can keep cruising as long as there’s food on board. 

Other features of this solar-powered yacht

As far as specs go, its overall length is about 43 feet, and its beam is just under 20 feet wide. There are four cabins, and they should be able to accommodate eight people in total, according to Electrek. Since this is a luxury yacht that costs over $500,000, it’s full of luxurious amenities that people would expect from a yacht. That includes a “fully equipped galley,” WiFi connectivity, and even a tiny electric dinghy. 

That said, there are some pros and cons that come with an electric yacht. It can travel 100 nautical miles in a day without stopping, and that isn’t too fast for a boat. But, since it’s an EV, it’ll be very low impact. According to Electrek, it has “no noise or vibration, no smells, no polluting emissions and no disturbance of marine life.”