Private planes and yachts are opulent means of transportation, but a German businessman and Italian designer Pierpaolo Lazzarini just discovered what happens when they mix the two: the ultra-sleek air yacht.
The over 500-foot-long yacht is outfitted with eight counter-rotating electric motors that run on extremely light batteries and solar panels. This allows it to travel at 60 knots for more than two days without emitting any pollution. In addition to being fully electric, the air yacht is also environmentally friendly because it will be made completely of carbon fiber, which is both lightweight and highly durable.
When the owner feels like sailing the sea against the sky, the two balloon-like compartments on either side of the spectacular vessel have an inflatable base that enables the ingenious machine to float atop the water’s surface. The sky yacht is sadly still a long way off from taking the place of conventional ships and airplanes, even if it sounds like the perfect way to travel to be able to select which mode makes the most sense for particular destinations.
Credit: lazzarinidesignstudio
But for the individual owner who ordered the air yacht, which is expected to cost $627,511,500, this revolutionary kind of transportation is the way of the future. As a matter of fact, Lazzarini has committed to launching a first-scale model prototype later this year, and a series of slightly varied designs (ranging in length) are presently in the early stages of engineering and prototyping. So, it’s possible that before the decade is up, we’ll all be riding along in a boat that takes off.