Aquon One Is a New, Hydrogen-Powered Pocket Superyacht With Unlimited Range

Superyacht concepts with hydrogen propulsion abound, which could point to a general desire for and a possible future shift in the maritime industry toward a greener, more sustainable luxury travel. That, of course, doesn’t bring hydrogen-based propulsion any closer, but at least the demand for it exists. Baby steps and all that.

Fraser Yachts is either in on a secret that it’s not sharing with the rest of the world or overly optimistic, because it recently announced a solar-hydrogen catamaran for 2023 delivery. Considering we’re days away from the New Year, a one-year delivery date for a vessel with hydrogen propulsion is very surprising.

Aquon One is a pocket superyacht and a loft at sea, designed for the most discriminating seafarer with a conscience according to the official brochure. You can find it in the PDF at the bottom of the page. With a design by Christian Grande, Aquon One will be built by luxury yacht-maker Latitude Yachts and delivered in 2023. Fraser is acting as a broker for the sale, listing the cat with an estimated price of €6 million (a little over $7 million, at the exchange rate preferred by the brokerage firm).

Being a multi-hull, Aquon One is already more efficient than single hulls. Catamarans are seeing a surge in demand these days, and it’s easily explainable: they offer a larger living surface over a more compact footprint and are faster and more stable than single hulls. Solar-powered catamarans, like those offered by Sunreef Yachts, also promise near-unlimited range, noise- and vibration-free sailing, and incredibly low running and maintenance costs.

The benefits of wide adoption of alternative fuels need no “selling;” we all win if whatever we do no longer negatively impacts the environment. Aquon One plans to do just that, but it will do it by using the solar panels to produce green hydrogen fuel that will power the two electric motors and maintain hotel functions. Other details are not offered, except for the mention that the flybridge of the cat will be covered in 689 square feet (64 square meters) of solar panels.

The 65-foot (19-meter) is designed with “a holistic approach – combining modern comfort, performance, and sustainability.” Designed with no compromise in terms of quality or performance, it will offer accommodation for a maximum of eight passengers in more than 1,000 square feet of space. The final layout is up to the owner, with builders offering two, three, or four-stateroom layout versions. In any of these options, guest accommodation is on the lower deck, with the main deck dedicated to a dining room and a lounge.

A second dining room, al fresco this time, is up on the flybridge, with seating for up to 12 people. A third lounge that can also serve for dining is aft, on the sundeck, which also offers direct access to water. If need be, the Aquon One can become the perfect party venue at the port.

The interior will also showcase the yard’s commitment to sustainability through the use of sustainable materials like recycled leather and light bamboo. Smart features like controlling the LED lights in an app are included and are meant to increase the efficiency of the ship.

Speaking of efficiency, Aquon One will travel at an estimated top speed of 16 knots and have a virtually unlimited range – as well as the ability to go completely off-grid for several days in a row, thanks to the large battery packs on board. It will also cruise without noise and vibrations and no emissions, which, alone, should give whichever multi-millionaire buys it the kind of peace of mind only millions in the bank can buy.

We can wax poetic all we want about the sustainable future, but the reality remains that, for the time being, it remains a luxury regular mortals can only dream of. So here’s what $7 million buys you in terms of environmental credits.