Frauscher x Porsche eFantom Sports Boat Curiously Spills the Beans on Macan EV Tech

It's arguably no secret that Porsche has decided its second-generation Macan crossover SUV will feature only electric power to try and bring the fight to Tesla Model Y's best-selling arguments. It's also no mystery how the Macan EV will look like because the CUV has been spied on overabundantly while Porsche itself has let everyone in on some of its secrets ahead of time.

However, it seems that we are approaching the moment of its premiere since its electromobility sibling, a speed boat (!), was recently released with all the technical goodies borrowed from the Macan EV spilled out in black and white. So, the first-ever Frauscher x Porsche eFantom EV speed boat is ready to start its open-sea journey as the partnering companies have just "presented the first production model of the 850 Fantom Air."

Even better, the "jointly developed electric sports boat with the drive technology of the future all-electric Porsche Macan" is already ready for the initial water test drives on Lake Garda in Italy. However, the Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air will feature its worldwide debut in January next year during a trade fair in Dusseldorf, Germany, and the initial production plans only include a limited first edition series of 25 units available from €561,700 with delivery throughout 2024.

Hopefully, the Porsche Macan EV won't be as expensive because that figures out to be around $591,490 at the current exchange rate. Of course, for that money, you are getting something out of the ordinary: "The eFantom offers everything that Frauscher and Porsche's products have always promised: outstanding performance and luxurious experiences, the highest quality and exclusive, timeless design," according to Detlev von Platen, Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG during the initial media presentation at Lake Garda.

Of course, what's most interesting for automotive enthusiasts is the use of components from the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) – the same one that underpins the second-gen Porsche Macan EV. Inside the boat, there's a single permanently excited synchronous electric motor (PSM) with a limited peak output of 400 kW (536 hp), plus all the needed power electronics. There's also a shaft that sends the power to the traditional marine Z-drive, and now we know the battery capacity of the Macan EV – 100 kWh.

The same pack sits inside the 850 Fantom Air, and the eFantom even uses the same driving modes like Range, Sport, and Sport Plus settings, plus a dedicated Docking feature. The sports boat has different speeds for its type of activities - eight knots (15 kph) for harbor operations, a 22 knots (45 kph) cruising speed with a range of one hour or about 45 kilometers, hull speed for a range of 100 kilometers, and a Sport Plus top speed of 85 km/h (46 knots).

Additionally, the 800-volt technology from the Macan EV is also on board, so now we also know the crossover SUV's charging speeds - 250 kW at DC fast-charging stations. Thus, a 10 to 80% SoC (state-of-charge) can be achieved in less than 30 minutes under ideal conditions. Plus, there's also an 11-kW AC charger, so we can safely assume that's the maximum speed for the Macan EV, as well. One last thing – the cockpit is clearly a nod to Porsche; this time, it's the legendary 911, though. So are we to assume the latter will also go fully electric soon?