Tag Yachts Shows Off The Tang Catamaran, Features Wind Charged Lithium-Ion Battery

It may not be the only ec-friendly boat on the water, but it's certainly one of the coolest looking ones. This particular catamaran is wind-powered, and features a lithium-ion battery inside as well. Interestingly enough, though, the designers and architects made it possible for the Tang, which is the name of the vessel, to run on wind energy, even when the sails are down.

The Tang is currently undergoing testing in St. Francis Bay, South Africa, where Tag Yachts has a facility. The yacht-sized effort to create the Tang comes from not only Tag Yachts, but also International Battery and Electric Marine Propulsion. The result? A yacht that features carbon-fiber construction, and two E motion 18-kilowatt permanent-magnet motors, which are powered by a 144-volt lithium-ion battery pack.

The 18-kolwatt propulsion motor gets its power from two different avenues. The first, obviously, are the sails that capture wind energy, which is then converted for use by the engines. The other way, though, are the propellers themselves. When they are turned on, if there isn't enough wind to power the vessel for example, they become generators to regenerate electricity to the batteries. That's when the two 22-kilowatt disel generators start generating energy for the lithium-ion battery pack.

As you probably guessed, International Battery supplied the lithium-ion battery, which not only powers the vessel itself, but also plenty of the electronics on board, too. You'll find a dishwasher on board, a microwave, a 37-inch flat-screen TV, two refrigerator-freezers, LED lighting throughout the yacht, water maker, and even an air conditioner. When February 2011 comes around, the Tang will be officially shown off and paraded around at the Miami International Boat Show.

[via eco-friend]