Icon review: luxury boat from BMW and startup Tyde

Unexpected collaboration

Literally in April we wrote about collaboration between BMW and startup Tyde. Then it seemed that before the moment when their first joint project sees the light, a lot of time will pass. But no matter how!

As you know, this is not the first attempt by BMW to enter the yachting market. Throughout almost the entire twentieth century, the automaker made several attempts to produce its own boats of varying degrees of success. But it was the collaboration with German tech startup Tyde that paid off. 

Tyde designs and manufactures yachts and powerboats. The joint project is called Icon. The startup website describes the boat as an example of “unparalleled design and sustainable luxury; the pinnacle of comfort, style and vision.”

Icon World Premiere

Icon premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Interestingly, this was not a mock-up or prototype, but a fully functional motorboat. BMW says it is already gearing up for large-scale production and the first board is ready for use.

Icon has a length of 13.5 meters and moves on hydrofoils. Foiler from BMW and Tyde was completely assembled in Europe. The main feature of the new boat is its environmental friendliness and power. BMW is supporting the greening trend not only in its auto industry; the company's first commercial boat will also use electricity instead of combustible fuel.

Thanks to hydrofoils and a powerful engine, the Icon is capable of traveling over 50 nautical miles on a single battery charge at a speed of 24 knots. The maximum speed will be 30 knots. 

Design and other features Icon 

Icon's hull is vaguely reminiscent of a trimaran, with the only difference being that the "floats" do not protrude far beyond the hull, but are below it. The exterior of the yacht is made in two colors. There are also LED lights on the outside, which perfectly complement the pleasing lines of the body. If during the day Icon looks like a futuristic yacht, then at night this effect only intensifies.

Inside the boat has enough space for passengers to stand upright. Icon has only one saloon with no additional cabins. The steering post is not separated from the cabin in any way. By the way, the control post was designed by BMW designers to fully meet the spirit and surroundings of the automaker. In front of the skipper is a huge 32-inch touch screen that is used to monitor all of Icon's systems. The resolution of the monitor is a fantastic 6k. Full voice control is also integrated into the boat control system.

In front of the steering station is a lounge area with futuristic sofas and seats. Immediately behind the skipper's position is the exit to the stern platform. It can be used as a bathing suit when the Icon is fully submerged.

The view from inside the boat is almost 360-degree due to the giant glass panels. The Icon also features Dolby Atmos for true audiophiles. Icon's propulsion system consists of a pair of 100 kW electric motors mounted aft. 

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24.05.2023