Sustainable boatbuilder Sunreef Yachts is adding a sleeker, lighter solar electric catamaran to its portfolio. The new Explorer Eco 40m is the company’s smallest electric yacht to date, but debuts with some of the most advanced technology, including Sunreef’s proprietary “solar skin”
Sunreef Yachts was established in 2002 in Gdansk, Poland where its shipyard and office still operate alongside a newer footprint established at port in the United Arab Emirates. From its very first year, Sunreef has been pushing the boundaries of sustainable marine travel, launching the world’s first 74-foot luxury oceangoing catamaran with a flybridge.
Today, hundreds of Sunreef Yachts are sailing waters across the globe, showcasing the company’s lineup of sustainable luxury catamarans, all-electric propulsion, and advanced solar panels. That current portfolio consists of eco-friendly sailboats and massive solar electric catamarans ranging from 60 to 100 meters in length.
Today, Sunreef shared it has gone smaller, introducing a new 40m electric yacht called the Eco Explorer.
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The new 40m Explorer solar electric catamaran / Source: Sunreef Yachts -
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Sunreef Yacht’s latest electric catamaran is another beauty
The company’s new Eco version of the 40m Explorer offers customers a sleeker and more sustainable design in a lighter marine footprint, all without sacrificing the luxury and comfort Sunreef is known for.
Sunreef shared that it favors catamarans over traditional yacht hull designs because require less energy to propel at sea – an important factor in marine electrification. The new Eco Explorer 40m features an ultralight composite build and a state-of-the-art electric powertrain consisting of two 540kW motors and two 550 kWh battery packs – giving the electric yacht the ability to cross oceans.
To support the all-electric powertrain, the Eco Explorer 40m is also covered in Sunreef’s proprietary solar skin, which utilizes every available inch of the hull and structure’s external surface to generate free, clean energy – more than enough to power the electric yacht’s onboard systems, HVAC, AV equipment and even its jacuzzi. Per Sunreef Yachts founder and CEO Francis Lapp:
Sunreef has been at the cutting edge of sustainable yachting since its launch. We are the only superyacht builder to have successfully developed the idea of embedding solar cells into large-scale fibreglass structures. But we’re not content to let technology alone do the work. Many elements of our wonderful, custom interiors can also be sourced from recycled and renewable materials. From hemp composite to recycled fabrics -it’s all up to the owner.
Sunreef says its new Eco Explorer 40m can accommodate 10 guests aboard, who can be taken car of by a crew of seven. Its motors deliver a cruising speed of 10 knots and a top speed of 14 knots. Build times are currently three years, and the electric yachts will be built at one of Sunreef’s ports in Poland or the UAE.