Fernando Alonso takes delivery of his electric 60 Sunreef Power Eco

Spanish Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso has said his new 18.3-metre Sunreef Power Eco has given him "exactly the yachting experience [he] was looking for" after taking delivery of the electric model earlier this year. 

The Grand Prix winner said that the yacht has enabled him to travel long distances "in total silence, with no fumes, no vibrations". 

The sale of the solar-powered catamaran was signed in September 2021, with Alonso saying that Polish yard Sunreef was an "easy choice" for him as it offered "technology that could not be found anywhere else". He added: "They combine luxury and sustainability like no other shipyard. When I visited their facility in Poland, I saw first-hand how all the details are taken care of."

The luxury catamaran specialist was also Alonso's first choice for yacht charters in the past, calling chartering Sunreefs a "magical experience" when speaking to BOAT International in a social media livestream.

Sunreef is no stranger to celebrity clients, with Rafael Nadal, Nico Rosberg and adventurer Mike Horn all included in Sunreef’s customer base. But Sunreef has universal appeal, with customers who “aren’t as public”, said Alonso.

Nadal and Rosberg’s endorsement of the brand was a part of Alonso’s decision to purchase, but he said that Sunreef’s commitment to sustainability is what sealed the deal for him.

“I think [Sunreef] is the only company that takes sustainability to a very serious level,” said Alonso during his BOAT International interview. “To have a fully electric catamaran powered by solar panels made perfect sense to me.”

Alongside the model’s eco-credentials, Alonso said the aesthetics of the boat were important. “There are other possibilities of integrating solar panels on a yacht, but it never looks good,” he explained, calling the 60 Sunreef Power Eco a “sexy” boat.

Alonso is drawn to the multihull platform for a number of reasons, including the additional space, increased stability and flexibility that multihulls offer. “You can get closer to the coast compared to a monohull,” he said.

The 60 Sunreef Power which Alonso has selected features electric engines with an ultralight battery bank. The yacht is also designed with an advanced solar panel power system that covers up to 68.6 square metres of the yacht’s surface, allowing up to 13kWp of green energy to be generated.

Interiors on board are finished in sustainable materials and can accommodate up to six guests and four crew.

Alonso added: “On board, all that matters is peace of mind, fresh air, and good company. Yachting should not be about ego. For me, it’s about sharing good moments and being respectful towards the environment.”

“We are very proud to welcome Fernando Alonso into our family. We begin a great journey together as we start a new electric 60 Sunreef Power Eco project. We take another big step towards a more sustainable yachting experience and we are thrilled to take it together with an outstanding and inspiring ambassador on board,” commented Sunreef founder and president Francis Lapp.