An 8.7-metre speedboat is a minnow compared to the other pleasure-craft moored at the Yacht Club de Monaco. The pontoons boast floating exotica worth hundreds of millions of pounds, each one laden with enough luxuries to ensure Monte Carlo remains the ultimate sailor’s playground.

While the largest vessels can offer everything from an onboard helicopter to a mini submarine, the move towards more environmentally-focussed boat designs was especially evident at the principality’s annual yacht show. Solar panels, hybrid propulsion and eco-friendly materials have become ‘must-have’ features – just as desirable as Jacuzzis, golf driving ranges, or snow rooms.

As superyacht designers grapple over the benefits of diesel-hybrid powertrains, gas turbine propulsion, and hydrogen fuel cells, Porsche has dipped more than a toe in the water with a fully-electric boat – albeit a vessel on a much smaller scale.

The 850 Fantom is driven by the same potent powertrain as the latest Macan Turbo, and runs whisper-quiet across the waves. Ignore the silly ‘Turbo’ tag; like the road-going SUV, the Fantom is fuelled solely by batteries. Stashed under the floor in a watertight compartment is the same Macan-sourced permanent synchronised motor that pumps out 536bhp. A 100kWh lithium-ion battery can offer up to 62 miles of nautical fun.

Naturally, the upholstery, hull and deck can be matched to the owner’s Porsche coupé. Standard features include a folding sunshade, high-end audio system and LED underwater lighting at the rear. Surprisingly, it’s not the first time that Porsche has ventured onto the water. In 1959, the company presented the type 729 boat engine to the public. It was based on the four-cylinder boxer engine of the legendary Porsche 356. For the 850 Fantom Air, Porsche has collaborated with Austrian-based shipyard Frauscher.

On a morning motor in Monte Carlo Bay, I found the Fantom’s hefty battery pack provides smooth, linear acceleration, just like a Macan Turbo. And that’s not all that will remind sailors that this is an automotive collaboration – a proper Porsche steering wheel dominates the central console.

Bouncing across the waves, monitoring five Porschestyled analogue gauges requires a steady eye. There’s also a 12-inch, multifunction display loaded with an echo-sounder and chart plotter. Just like a Macan, the Fantom features multiple driving modes. What does that mean in a boat? Docking, Range, Sport and Sport Plus settings promise to make sailing simple, whatever the conditions.

On flat seas, the boat sits perfectly at 40mph. Slip into Sport Plus for an exhilarating blast of up to 98mph, although that has the inevitable impact on range and battery life. Thanks to 800-volt technology, the boat can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 30 minutes. AC charging at a conventional three-pin socket is also possible if you’re lucky enough to have a boathouse, otherwise order a long lead.

“With the all-electric Macan, we want to provide the sportiest model in its SUV segment,” says Porsche’s Jorge Kerner, head of the Macan Model Line. “This is our stated development goal, and we have carried this ambition over to the boat in every detail. The Fantom offers characteristic Porsche electric performance with outstanding driving characteristics.”

Based on Frauscher’s existing Fantom speedboat, the only problem with the new Porsche collaboration could be the price. At £485,000, the electrified version is twice as much as the combustion-engine model. Competition comes from other car company collaborations with yacht-makers. The £340,000 Candela C8 is powered by the same 69kWh battery technology as a Polestar 2, travels 57 miles on a charge and offers a more modest top speed of about 35mph.

For an adrenalin rush, the futuristic BMW Tyde Icon is an electrified ‘flying’ boat that skims the surface of the water on foils. A huge 400kWh battery powers the luxury cruiser, which offers cabin, bathroom and living space, for a hefty £1.7 million.

Lamborghini’s collaboration with boat-builder Tecnomar has resulted in the 63, a 4,000hp supercar of the seas. Driven by a brace of MAN V12 engines, the 20-metre vessel can guzzle its way through a 3,500-litre tank of fuel, with a top speed of 72mph. Priced from £3.8 million, just 63 are slated for production. Conor McGregor owns one of them.

Rather more elegant and old-school is the Riva X Ferrari. Forty examples were handcrafted by the Italian boat specialists during the 1990s, each fitted with two V8 engines capable of 62mph. Painted in Rosso Red, two Prancing Cavallino ‘Ferrari’ badges were painted on the hull. You can pick them up second hand for a relative snip at £120,000.

The collaboration between Porsche and Frauscher goes much further than a paint job. As well as the dashboard gauges and steering wheel, Porsche has designed the front seats to look like seats from a sportscar. There’s space for nine onboard, with a swimming platform at the back, and two sunbathing pads.

“The electric version of the Fantom Air is better than the version with an internal combustion engine in all driving characteristics,” says Stefan Frauscher, managing director of Frauscher Shipyard. “Top speed, acceleration and handling.”

And, of course, completely emission-free.

Visit frauscherxporsche.com

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