„Alice in Wonderland“: Lurssen presents
a model of climate-neutral superyacht for the future
Who says yachts can’t inspire childlike wonder? Not Lürssen, which is showcasing a whimsical new superyacht concept called “Alice” at this year’s Monaco Yacht Show, which, as the name suggests, is inspired by Lewis Carroll’s classic, “Alice in Wonderland.”
The 322-foot, emissions-free vessel will feature five fantastic decks, but in a twist on Carroll’s book, a main deck will not be one of them.
In a YouTube video showing a preview of the concept, the German shipyard’s designer, Jim Robert Sluijter, said the idea came from talking to yacht owners, many of whom said they didn’t get much use out of their boat’s main salon. So, he decided to get rid of it and try something completely different.
Alice is a climate-neutral yacht model offered by the German shipyard Lürssen. The shipyard demonstrates future possibilities with this 98-meter-long, 17-meter-wide concept inspired by the movie Alice in Wonderland. An emission-free fuel cell generates electrical energy based on hydrogen reformed from green methanol. This replaces conventional diesel generators. An additional methanol engine is on board to generate higher speeds and cover peaks in energy consumption. The shipyard estimates that with this system, Alice can sail up to 1,000 nautical miles with zero emissions and anchor for up to 15 days with zero emissions.
Energy savings
Energy-saving technologies such as heat recovery or mirror glass windows for thermal insulation are used to reduce energy input from air conditioning systems. Teak wood is replaced with lightweight organic wood. The yacht’s dinghies and water toys will also be fully electric so there are no diesel engines on board.
An exterior and interior design that embraces nature
The unconventional design reveals a completely exterior main deck. Lürssen found that many owners did not use this. Therefore, the various living areas were positioned in the high superstructures. Thus, the deck offers a 100-meter-long outdoor terrace where one can indulge in any activity. The front beach is a kind of mesh of decks, pools and vegetation to create a space of nature in the middle of the sea.
In Sluijter’s “Alice in Wonderland”-inspired model, this means a paddle tennis court in the back, a semi-enclosed bar and dance floor in the middle, under the raised decks and, most impressive of all, a relaxing natural park full of greenery and its own pond in front. .
Nor is the main deck of the Alice in Wonderland-inspired ship the only convention Lürssen has shipped. Likewise, it will dispense with using diesel engines to propel the ship. Instead, Alice will use emission-free fuel cell technology to power its engines.
