It’s not just automakers switching from internal-combustion engines to electric motors.
There are now a number of boat builders with electric offerings, including Austria’s Frauscher which last week unveiled the Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air, which features an electric motor borrowed from the upcoming Porsche Macan EV.
Porsche was responsible for the development of the powertrain found in the 28-foot 850 Fantom Air, including not only the electric motor but also the associated power electronics and battery. The setup consists of a single electric motor whose output has been capped at 536 hp, and a battery with a gross capacity of 100 kwh. Both elements are borrowed from the Macan EV.
The motor is mounted at the rear of the boat and connects to a typical marine Z-drive. The battery is also mounted at the rear, beneath the boat’s lounge area and suspended using wire rope mounts. Porsche said the mounts were designed to absorb the shocks that are generated when traversing across the water at high speed.
The 850 Fantom Air has various modes that adjust the performance of the powertrain. One of these is a Sport Plus mode that delivers the boat’s maximum speed of 46 knots, or roughly 53 mph. Range won’t last long at this speed, though. Porsche said the optimum cruising speed for the 850 Fantom Air is 22 knots (25 mph), which will enable to boat to operate for a bit more than an hour, or enough to cover a distance of approximately 28 miles.
Thanks to included 800-volt technology from Porsche, the battery can be charged at rates of up to 250 kw using a DC fast charger. According to Porsche, such a rate can change the battery from 10-80% in less than 30 minutes.
The Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air starts deliveries in 2024. The first 25 examples will be a special-edition model costing 561,700 euros (approximately $591,400). Production will take place at Frauscher’s shipyard in Ohlsdorf, Austria.
Porsche’s Macan EV is now in the final stages of development. It will be launched in early 2024, and at least one version will offer more than 600 hp. The vehicle is based on Volkswagen Group’s PPE dedicated EV platform which Audi will use for its similar Q6 E-Tron due later this year.
