Every once in a while, an eco-friendly concept vehicle comes around that is either too crazy, or too cool, to not post about. In the EkranoYacht, we have a bit of both.
What Is It?
Not only is this concept vehicle straight out of a futuristic Jetsons-era world, but its designer has actually come up with specs on the boat’s size and speed. Estimated to be 118 feet long, and travel at top speeds of 250 mph, this flying yacht will be able to hold six passengers, fly 4 m above the water, and still produce no emissions except for a bit of water vapour and hydrogen.
Is a Flying Yacht Possible?
One of the craziest things about this concept vehicle is it is based mostly in the real world. According to gas2.org, a similar vehicle was created in the former Soviet Union, and despite its weight of 550 tons was able to fly 66 feet above the water at up to 460 mph. The vehicle was called the Ekranoplan and could “fly” because of the high-pressure air created by “the aerodynamic contact between the wings and the water’s surface”.
Are you surprised you are just hearing about this now? It’s probably because they are insanely expensive to make, and people mostly forgot about them after the collapse of the Soviet Union. But now, the EkranoYacht’s creator, Australian designer Jaron Dickson, has plans to bring the technology back to life with an eco-friendly twist.
When Can I Get One?
The short answer is, by the time you can have one you won’t care about it anymore. Even if this thing does make it to market (which is currently slated for 2025), who knows what other crazy technology we will have by then that will dwarf the simple EkranoYacht hydrogen engine. Until then, it’s at least an enjoyable fantasy to keep in mind for the future.
Check out more pictures of the eco-friendly concept watercraft at the Australian Design Awards
