Known as the ‘Mount Everest’ of sailing, the Vendée Globe is a race that takes participants on a voyage of 25,000 nautical miles through the Southern Ocean and around the world. For the first time, a German sailor, Boris Herrmann, plans to compete in this solo event, representing the Yacht Club de Monaco with the yacht Malizia in the next edition, which will begin in November 2020.
BMW, which has been involved in the America’s Cup since 2002, is one of the team’s partners and is translating all of its experience and technology in car manufacture into boat racing. The Malizia, a 60-foot long racing yacht that will be Boris’s companion, is being optimised for the world’s toughest solo sporting competition. BMW engineers have been involved in identifying areas where they can contribute to improving the Malizia, based on the visionary BMW i technology. "BMW i vehicles and the racing yacht ‘Malizia’ have both pushed the boundaries of physics to near their limits, and both are facing similar technological challenges”, said Robert Irlinger, director of BMW i, adding that, "the best possible aerodynamics and intelligent lightweight construction allow the boat to reach higher speeds, making them decisive success factors for a racing yacht”.
Boris Herrmann, plans to compete in this solo event, representing the Yacht Club de Monaco with the yacht Malizia in the next edition, which will begin in November 2020
Intelligent lightweight construction is therefore one of the areas that BMW and Team Malizia are developing together. The first result of this technological collaboration is the navigator’s seat, built from CFRP (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers). This is where Herrmann will spend much of his time during the Vendée Globe. The drivetrain is also another area under study. The aim is to develop an alternative to the diesel power unit.
One option could be to replace this unit with an electric motor with BMW i battery technology, to cross the oceans with zero emissions. In addition to the electrical supply of the onboard systems and the canting keel, an electric motor could also contribute to the acquisition of regenerative energy from the yacht’s movement, as well as replacing or improving the efficiency of the existing systems. The next generation of BMW i lithium batteries, which are characterised by outstanding energy density and longevity, have already been made boat-ready for some of the high-tech electric boat motors of Torqeedo, based in Starnberg, a company collaborating with BMW i and hence in this project. "Emission-free round the world under race conditions, whilst simultaneously producing your own energy, is a thoroughly inspirational concept”, enthused Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann.
BMW, which has been involved in the America’s Cup since 2002, is one of the team’s partners and is translating all of its experience and technology in car manufacture into boat racing. The Malizia, a 60-foot long racing yacht that will be Boris’s companion, is being optimised for the world’s toughest solo sporting competition. BMW engineers have been involved in identifying areas where they can contribute to improving the Malizia, based on the visionary BMW i technology. "BMW i vehicles and the racing yacht ‘Malizia’ have both pushed the boundaries of physics to near their limits, and both are facing similar technological challenges”, said Robert Irlinger, director of BMW i, adding that, "the best possible aerodynamics and intelligent lightweight construction allow the boat to reach higher speeds, making them decisive success factors for a racing yacht”.
Boris Herrmann, plans to compete in this solo event, representing the Yacht Club de Monaco with the yacht Malizia in the next edition, which will begin in November 2020
Intelligent lightweight construction is therefore one of the areas that BMW and Team Malizia are developing together. The first result of this technological collaboration is the navigator’s seat, built from CFRP (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers). This is where Herrmann will spend much of his time during the Vendée Globe. The drivetrain is also another area under study. The aim is to develop an alternative to the diesel power unit.
One option could be to replace this unit with an electric motor with BMW i battery technology, to cross the oceans with zero emissions. In addition to the electrical supply of the onboard systems and the canting keel, an electric motor could also contribute to the acquisition of regenerative energy from the yacht’s movement, as well as replacing or improving the efficiency of the existing systems. The next generation of BMW i lithium batteries, which are characterised by outstanding energy density and longevity, have already been made boat-ready for some of the high-tech electric boat motors of Torqeedo, based in Starnberg, a company collaborating with BMW i and hence in this project. "Emission-free round the world under race conditions, whilst simultaneously producing your own energy, is a thoroughly inspirational concept”, enthused Malizia skipper Boris Herrmann.
