Eco Factor: Island Pilot debuts first ever hybrid luxury yacht.
Private yachts are somewhat synonymous to luxury, but does that ever mean that they cannot get ecofriendly? No is the answer from Island Pilot LLC, who have unveiled the first ever hybrid luxury yacht dubbed the Island Pilot DSe Hybrid 12m. The 40-ft yacht combines the benefits of solar, electric and diesel power.
The yacht can travel at speeds up to 6 knots on solar panels, but the addition of diesel to the scene gives an additional 7 knots. The yacht by no means gives up the luxury factor in the process. It comes with modern amenities that include a Garmin HD radar, Fly by Wire controls, gyroscope, autopilot mode, 4 zones of air conditioning, ice maker, refrigeration, and a 26-inch HDTV, to name a few. To be a proud eco owner of this green machine, you would have to pay $600,000.
The Dark Side:
Apart from the humongous price tag, a speed of just 6 knots does not guarantee that anyone who owns this yacht will make it run on just solar panels, and the addition of the diesel engine will not keep things as ecofriendly as we would love to.
Via: Clean Technica/DSEHybrid/Business Wire
