Dream Yacht Worldwide and Fountaine Pajot launch first global line of electric catamarans

Aura 51 Smart Electric © Jean-Marie Liot

Dream Yacht Worldwide, one of the world's leading sea vacation companies, and Fountaine Pajot, global designer and builder of leading-edge luxury catamarans, has announced its partnership to launch the first of its collection of electric catamarans.

Together, the companies are proud to be the first global brands to launch electric yachts at scale for consumer retail purchase and worldwide yacht charter vacation offerings and is expected to have a significant global impact toward more sustainable sea vacation experiences.

Fountaine Pajot's ground-breaking Aura 51 Smart Electric model is equipped with electric motors and an intelligent on-board energy management system, the result of an ambitious collaboration of more than 60 technicians, engineers and electrical experts whose goal was an entirely new approach to a zero-emissions propulsion energy system designed expressly for the needs of yachting. Powerful and highly efficient electric engines power the new Aura 51, with two lithium technology battery banks for storage - providing power for hours of motor cruising, or as much as a week at anchor without any emissions.

The Aura 51 Smart Electric will be the first electric model introduced to the Dream Yacht Worldwide fleet, available for charter in Italy beginning April 2023.

Future of the partnership

Dream Yacht Worldwide and Fountaine Pajot are aligned in their commitment to sustainability and reducing ecological impact, and have therefore agreed on an ongoing partnership, expected to bring more than 22 electric yachts to the Dream Yacht fleet by spring of 2024. Of these, 10 will be sailing catamarans and 12 will be sailing yachts from Dufour, a part of the Fountaine Pajot Group.

Jointly, the companies' collaborative efforts, investment in research and technology, and fleet investment commitments is expected to have an unprecedented global impact on the future of yachting, setting an important milestone through bold innovation and leadership - and encouraging other builders and charter operators to follow with increased sustainability efforts.

Commitment to sustainability

The pioneering and innovating spirit of both Fountaine Pajot and Dream Yacht creates the perfect alliance to steward and challenge the yachting industry to make progress toward more sustainable sailing technologies and practices.

"By partnering and supporting the research and development of electric yachts, we can continue to make sailing accessible to people around the world but with a lower impact on our seas and environment," shared Loïc Bonnet, CEO and founder of Dream Yacht Group. "Being environmentally conscious is central to our mission to protect our planet and oceans, and we are confident that our charter clients will support this endeavor."

By its very nature, sailing is a hybrid solution powered partly by wind. Through research and technology, Fountaine Pajot is going further with cleaner manufacturing processes, more efficient sail design, and electric engines fueled by renewable energies like solar, and potentially, hydrogen.

"Aware of the urgency of preserving the planet, we are living through a great cultural change. The new generation expects much of us at the dawn of this new era and these realizations. Our owners are also changing their needs and today expect their boat to be more environmentally responsible, while maintaining a high level of demand in terms of comfort."

"As part of an external audit, it has been established that 20% of our carbon footprint comes from production and 80% from the use of the boats," shared Romain Motteau, Deputy CEO, Fountaine Pajot.

With additional electric models in development by Fountaine Pajot, and a growing electric charter fleet for Dream Yacht Worldwide, the release of the Aura 51 Smart Electric is only the first step in an ongoing commitment and joint ambition of achieving an all-electric yacht offering and zero carbon emissions by 2030.