Porsche’s approach to sustainable mobility extends beyond the car. Which is why the sports car manufacturer has collaborated with Austria-based Frauscher Shipyard to develop an exclusive electric sports boat. The 8.67-metre day cruiser based on the Frauscher 858 Fantom Air offers exceptional driving characteristics and has space for up to nine passengers.

The drive technology of the future Porsche Macan.

Porsche has optimised and further developed its drive technology designed for road vehicles for use on the water. The Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air uses components of the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) on which the all-electric Macan is based. The technology includes the lithium-ion high voltage battery, a latest-generation permanently excited synchronous electric motor (PSM), and the related power electronics. Thanks to the 800-volt technology from Porsche, the electric boat can be charged at DC fast-charging stations. AC charging is also possible.

Design influence of Studio F. A. Porsche.

Along with the drive technology, aspects of the project also bear the design signature of Porsche. Studio F.A. Porsche is responsible for the design of the helmstand and the resulting redesign of the main console with its throttle and integrated displays. The typical Porsche steering wheel was designed with materials suited to the nautical environment.

Porsche is driven by a compelling motivation: combining performance and sustainability. And that will no longer apply to on- and off-road alone, but to the water as well. Together with the renowned Frauscher Shipyards in Austria, the sports car manufacturer has developed the Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air. Equipped with the powertrain technology of the forthcoming all-electric Porsche Macan, the electric yacht offers exceptional handling characteristics.

“We stand for state-of-the-art, high-performance and sustainable luxury – and we are redefining this concept,” says Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman and Member of the Executive Board for Finance and IT at Porsche AG.

“Our goal is to inspire our customers and make their dreams come true. The Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air, like our sports cars, offers exceptional performance and luxury experiences.”

Porsche has adapted and further developed its drive technology designed for road vehicles for use on the water. The Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air uses components of the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) on which the new electric Macan is based. The technology includes a lithium-ion high voltage battery with a total capacity of around 100 kWh, a permanently excited synchronous electric motor (PSM) of the latest generation with a maximum output of 400 kW, and the related power electronics.

Interview with Jörg Kerner, Vice President Product Line Macan, and the two Managing Directors of Frauscher Shipyard. Stefan Frauscher is responsible for Marketing & Sales while his brother Michael is in charge of production.

If Porsche ventures onto the water with an e-boat, certain expectations go along with that. What makes the Frauscher x Porsche eFantom so special?

Jörg Kerner: With the all-electric Macan we want to provide the sportiest model in its segment. This is our stated development goal. And we have carried this ambition over to the boat via every detail. The eFantom offers characteristic Porsche E-Performance with outstanding driving characteristics.

Stefan Frauscher: Electric drives are also increasingly important in our industry as well. On the one hand, they are increasingly enjoying more social acceptance, and on the other our customers are very happy about the advantages of electromobility, namely that it’s quiet, odourless and reliable.

Michael Frauscher: We share the same standards as Porsche in terms of performance, design and innovation. Our boats must be uncompromisingly fast and beautiful. The eFantom is a real revolution. I’ve been driving boats all my life and this one is by far the best that I’ve ever driven. No boat with a combustion engine can keep up.

Jörg Kerner: The unique handling characteristics have been achieved through the low central positioning of the drive and the batteries in the hull. For turns, we have actually reduced the torque to enable comfortable control of the boat.

Were there any particular development challenges?

Jörg Kerner: The development process for the central control unit was quite involved. Because you can’t capture wheel speeds on the water and you don’t have things like a parking brake, for example, there were a lot of open interfaces. Or to stick with our example: the Macan only charges when the parking brake is engaged. We first had to generate that signal and others that were missing.

Michael Frauscher: We had to adjust the hull of the boat in the stern area to install the battery, which would not have worked otherwise. So the battery is now sitting where the fuel tank is normally located, but it needs more space in the middle part of the boat. Our team had to overcome two challenges to be successful: first, it was important to build a boat that stays within the target weight of the ICE variant. Second, we didn’t want to compromise on the comfort of the boat.

Speaking of comfort – for what type of use was the eFantom developed?

Stefan Frauscher: Our boat is perfect as a day cruiser for a relaxed swimming trip, for example, or as a tender for a super yacht to make an excursion to a coastal town.

Jörg Kerner: And for water skiing or wakeboarding. This sport hasn’t been possible with most other e-boats on the market. Now you can do it perfectly and without the smell of the exhaust.

How exactly did the collaboration with Porsche come about?

Michael Frauscher: I still clearly recall when Porsche approached us in October 2021. The company was looking for a suitable boat builder that could work with them to take Porsche technology from the road to the water. We at the Frauscher Shipyard were still looking for first-class technology to increase the performance of our electric boats, so everything just fell into place. Just two years later we have developed a state-of-the-art electric boat and I can sum up by saying that the depth at which Porsche started its engineering is not reached by other manufacturers, even at the end of their development.

Interested parties can register at www.frauscherxporsche.com.