A futuristic, solar-powered yacht which can cruise the globe without stopping to refuel has been unveiled by its Swiss firm SolarImpact Yacht AG. The electric SolarImpact yacht is topped with 300 sqm of solar panels to cover a regulation-size tennis court. The boat can sleep 10 people and is loaded with AI* that allows it to be driven by only one person. SolarImpact Yacht AG claims using solar panels to power the craft cuts a significant amount of the noise generated by traditional engines. An 800-kwh battery on board provides around 10 hours of cruising capability, which can be extended by topping up the battery from the sun during the trip. If sailing on a cloudy day, the vessel is loaded with a pair of 65-kw diesel engines on board as a backup. (SD-Agencies) |