By Ben Weinberger
Porsche collaborates with Austrian Frauscher Shipyard to develop an exclusive electric sports boat. Equipped with the drive technology of the future Porsche Macan electric, the 8.67-metre-long daycruiser based on the Frauscher 858 Fantom Air offers excellent driving characteristics. Delivery of a first edition of 25 units is to begin in 2024
Porsche aims to be a leader in sustainable mobility. And this ambition is not to be limited to racing and road cars alone in the future. Together with the renowned Frauscher Shipyard in Austria, the sports car manufacturer is developing an electric yacht that is also intended to set standards on the water with its typical Porsche E-Performance. The Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air is set to impress with attributes that already distinguish the fully-electric Taycan sports saloon: impressive acceleration, abundant pulling power, superior, continuously available performance, and inspiring design.
“We stand for state-of-the-art, high-performance and sustainable luxury – and we are redefining this concept. Our goal is to inspire our customers and make their dreams come true. The Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air, like our sports cars, offers exceptional performance and luxury experiences,” says Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman and Member of the Executive Board for Finance and IT at Porsche AG.
Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board and Member of the Executive Board for Finance and IT at Porsche AG, 2019, Porsche AG
“Electric drives are also increasingly important in our industry as well. On the one hand, they are increasingly enjoying more social acceptance, and on the other our customers are very happy about the advantages of electromobility, namely that it’s quiet, odourless and reliable,” says Stefan Frauscher, CEO responsible for Marketing & Sales at the Frauscher Shipyard. “Founded by my grandfather in 1927, the Frauscher Shipyard has been building electric boats since 1955. The collaboration with Porsche gives us the opportunity to build on our leading role in this area within the industry. Additionally, both companies have very similar values, are family-run, and focus on innovation, design and quality.”
Powered by Porsche: drive technology from the Macan electric
The Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air is based on the Frauscher 858 Fantom Air day cruiser, whose 8.67-metre long and 2.49-metre wide hull it is taking over practically unchanged. Porsche has optimised and further developed its drive technology designed for road vehicles for use on the water. This enables the use of the state-of-the-art automotive drive technology of the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) on which the future all-electric Macan will be based as the first Porsche model. The technology includes the lithium-ion high voltage battery with a total capacity of around 100 kWh, a permanently excited synchronous electric motor (PSM) of the latest generation, and the related power electronics. Thanks to the 800-volt technology from Porsche, the electric boat can be charged at DC fast-charging stations. AC charging is also possible.
“With the all-electric Macan we want to provide the sportiest model in its segment. This is our stated development goal. And we have carried over this ambition in every detail to the boat. The eFantom offers the E-Performance typical of Porsche with excellent driving properties,” explains Jörg Kerner, Vice President Product Line Macan. “That the powerful electric motors of the latest generation and the state-of-the-art battery and charge management also work so well on the water is testament to the excellence of our modular Premium Platform Electric.” Porsche is currently investigating further applications for its powertrain in other boat sizes.
Can accommodate up to nine passengers
Along with the drive technology, aspects of the project also bear the design signature of Porsche. The Studio F.A. Porsche is responsible for the design of the helmstand, within which context it is also creating the steering wheel and the main console with throttle and integrated displays.
Just like the Frauscher 858 Fantom Air with a conventional drivetrain, the electric version can also accommodate up to nine passengers. The swimming platform at the rear leads to a generous lounge area with two comfortable sun pads. A central aisle connects the back end of the yacht with the free-standing helm and the cockpit. Two more upholstered benches in the front end are equally inviting for relaxation. Also on board are two bimini tops for shade, an electric anchor winch with a stainless steel anchor, a premium sound system and a refrigerator. Porsche plays a significant role in the design of the seats and upholstery, aiming to provide particularly high-performance, luxurious features.
Suitable for the sea
Anticipated from 2024, the Frauscher x Porsche electric yacht can be taken out on local, emission-free and practically silent trips through harbours and bays, and for more sustainable driving pleasure on inland waters or open lakes. The yacht is also suitable for rough water and thus for the sea.
“Our boat is perfect as a daycruiser for a relaxed swimming trip, for example, or as a tender for a super yacht to make an excursion to a coastal town,” says Stefan Frauscher. The initial plan is for an exclusive first edition of 25 units, which can be pre-ordered from Frauscher and are to be delivered to the first customers from 2024. Interested parties can register at www.frauscherxporsche.com. The yacht will be built in the Frauscher Shipyard in Ohlsdorf, Austria. Frauscher is also handing all the sales logistics and the after sales management.
About Frauscher
When Engelbert Frauscher founded a boat building firm in Vienna in 1927, he couldn’t have dreamed that the name Frauscher would be setting standards in international premium boat building more than 95 years later. The company impresses with innovative ideas, precise craftsmanship, and a passion for beautiful times spent on the water. In 2012, the family-run business moved to a new shipyard in Ohlsdorf in Upper Austria. The boat builder also has sales locations in Port Adriano, Mallorca, and Port Grimaud on the Côte d’Azur. Since 2020, Frauscher America in Miami, Florida, has been introducing customers in the US to the fascinating world of Frauscher.
For more information visit www.frauscherxporsche.com
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