THE ICON: Meet BMW's Floating Smart Lounge
BMW and TYDE unveil THE ICON, a luxurious, zero-emission hydrofoil watercraft that redefines sustainable mobility and design on the water.
BMW the Icon
By Elke Porter | Canadian German Business News | May 24, 2025
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BMW found its perfect match in TYDE, a new-age tech company bent on transforming how we experience water travel. Co-founded by Dr. Christoph Ballin, who previously led the e-mobility revolution at Torqeedo, TYDE brought a deep understanding of marine electrification to the table. Their vision: a watercraft that feels more like a floating smart lounge than a traditional boat.
Working hand in hand, BMW and TYDE scrapped old molds and embraced innovation — not just in propulsion, but in purpose. The result is THE ICON: zero-emission, digitally integrated, and luxuriously designed down to the finest detail.
A Design Language Born of Wind and Water
To shape THE ICON, the team enlisted Guillaume Verdier, the brilliant mind behind several America’s Cup winners. Verdier helped engineer a hull and hydrofoil system that not only lifts the boat above the water at speed — dramatically reducing drag and increasing efficiency — but also creates a quiet, almost ethereal ride that leaves no wake or noise pollution in its path.
These hydrofoils, reminiscent of wings beneath the sea, allow THE ICON to literally rise above the water, offering a flying sensation combined with a jet-smooth experience. It’s not just movement — it’s a performance of balance, silence, and grace.
More Than a Boat — A Floating Experience
Step aboard THE ICON, and you won’t see the deck of a yacht. Instead, you'll find a floating sculpture of luxury. Clean lines, panoramic views, and digital ambient experiences blend seamlessly with BMW’s signature interiors and user-centric technology. The interface borrows heavily from the BMW iDrive ecosystem, allowing for intuitive control of lighting, navigation, entertainment, and comfort settings.
Think of it as the BMW i7 reimagined for the sea — only more serene, more sensory, and even more exclusive.
Sailing into the Future of Luxury Mobility
THE ICON isn't just a symbol of possibility — it's a working prototype of the future. A future where mobility is not defined by roads, but by experiences. Where innovation is not limited to function, but guided by form, feeling, and sustainability.
By transferring its technology from road to water, BMW isn't just creating new products — it’s rewriting the rules of luxury travel. This is not about owning a yacht. It’s about embracing a conscious, zero-emission lifestyle, powered by renewable energy, digital elegance, and the magic of the tides.
THE ICON is not just the future of boating. It is the embodiment of a new movement — where the line between the automobile and the vessel blurs, and the journey becomes as meaningful as the destination.
#BMW The ICON #Luxury On Water #Sustainable Mobility #Electric Boating #TYDE Innovation #Future Of Travel #German Canadian Business News #Elke Porter
Connect with Elke at Westcoast German Media or on LinkedIn: Elke Porter or contact her on WhatsApp: +1 604 828 8788
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