One of the groundbreaking technical developments supporting the sustainability goals of the new watercraft is foil, a technology that saves up to 80 percent of energy and thus enables the use of BMW i batteries (➜ also read: Material cycle of the battery cell) as a power source. How it works? The foil consists of a stabilization fin and two wings. They act like underwater wings that actually allow the vehicle to float on water – thus enabling the ICON to be electric solely through the power of BMW batteries.
By bulging on the upper side, negative pressure is created, buoyancy is created. The water resistance of the hull no longer plays a role. The vehicle is lifted out of the water, resistance is reduced to a minimum – the hydroplane literally hovers above the water. On the icon, two fans on the back chip provide thrust. It takes 10-12 seconds from approaching to passing. Flying one meter above the water, without feeling any waves – it feels like sliding comfortably in the back of a BMW i7 (➜ Read also: BMW i7 stage screen) on the road.
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