BYD Group introduces a new take on sustainable design with a self-sufficient luxury yacht that delivers a comfortable, independent lifestyle on water

Full-service naval architecture and engineering firm Spanish BYD Group is changing the game in sustainable yachting with its new all-electric, 20-metre trawler-style motoryacht.

Based in Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, BYD Group offers a complete design and naval architecture service for new sailing and motoryacht construction as well as refits, working in partnership with yacht builders or directly with yacht owners themselves.  

EEGLE – a perfect “green” coastal cruiser

Designed to be the perfect coastal cruiser, the EEGLE combines the space and comfort of a beach apartment with the effortless mobility and seaworthiness of a highly capable motoryacht.

With robust exterior lines and a plumb bow for improved performance and maximised use of space on the lower deck, the composite-hulled EEGLE has a draft of just 0.89 metres and reaches top speeds of 20 knots. The first unit of this exciting new “green” yacht, currently in build in the South of France at Martinez Constructions Navales shipyard, is expected to be delivered soon.

A “green” machine = 600kW batteries, 80nm range, 20 knots speed at full electric

The EEGLE’s 600kWh batteries provide the yacht with a range of up to 80nm when travelling in purely-electric “green” mode, while the four 150kW engines deliver up to 20 knots of speed. Covering an area of 30 square metres, the flybridge’s hardtop solar panels can generate up to 9kWh of additional energy to amplify the EEGLE’s cruising range.

While a purely green yachting operation is an admirable ambition, clients can opt for the reassurance of a range-extending fuel tank and generator system to increase the EEGLE’s reach by up to 1,000nm at 7.5 knots. This practical flexibility allows the yacht to run in “green” mode with zero emissions for shorter day trips and weekend cruises, while providing for longer crossings via the range extender. The additional fuel supply can also be used to run a pair of jet-skis, should they be chosen by a client.

“We are really proud of what we have been able to achieve with the design of the EEGLE,” comments Raúl Gonzalo, a senior designer and manager at BYD Group. “We started with the concept that it would be possible to create a modern and comfortable yacht that was of course seaworthy and handled beautifully, but that also had total autonomy when it came to providing power for propulsion. We are looking forward to seeing the results with our first unit of the EEGLE, expected to be delivered soon.”

The space craft built for comfort

Preserving the planet doesn’t have to mean the sacrifice of a comfortable lifestyle, and the EEGLE is the proof; BYD Group has paid particular attention to capitalising on space in all aspects of the yacht’s design.

The EEGLE’s generously proportioned, full-beam saloon provides the kind of interior living space that is rarely seen on a 20-metre monohull, with enormous windows and minimised mullions to flood the room with natural light and emphasise the ever-changing seascape. A sit-up bar at the aft portside galley area offers a spot to relax and enjoy an early-morning coffee or pre-dinner cocktail, with space for an adjacent dining table if required. Two comfortable sofas flank a coffee table in the mid-section of the saloon, while the bridge forward is cleverly sectioned off behind a credenza and flatscreen TV.  

The exterior decks are where the EEGLE really shines. The flybridge is a multifunctional space, with an L-shaped sofa and bar located behind the helm station, while a C-shaped sofa and convertible table is found forward. The aft of the sundeck has a large, open space big enough for up to three sunloungers, with an overhang that provides protection from the sun to the deck below. The convivial dining space in this shaded cockpit has direct access to the saloon’s galley area through bifold sliding doors.

The foredeck will be an especially popular spot with guests onboard. It offers excellent secluded views from a large, sumptuous sunpad and comfortable seating, and provides a private outdoor sanctuary when docked stern-to in port, with a removable and foldable set of table and chairs. BYD Group has designed the EEGLE foredeck with the option to feature a jacuzzi in this space, should a client wish to have one. The garage, accessed from the large swim platform at the stern, has space for a tender or two jetskis.

Room with a view

The yacht’s accommodation for up to six guests is found on the lower deck. The capacious full-beam owner’s cabin feels more like a land-based suite than something one would expect on a 20-metre yacht, with enormous windows filling the room with light, a king-size bed, vanity, desk and space for a chaise lounge; its en suite shower room features a walk-in shower, double basins and generous dressing room area, while there is also a separate WC with basin. The VIP cabin and twin guest cabin are both en suite. Up to two crew are accommodated in a compact bunk cabin accessed via a hatch in the aft cockpit.

The EEGLE’s interior is fitted with all the mod cons that are desirable for a comfortable cruising experience, including an HVAC system, dishwasher, washer-dryer, induction cooker and large fridge-freezer as well as autopilot, sound system and WiFi Internet connection.

About BYD Group

Based in the Spanish yachting hubs of Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, BYD Group was founded in 2004 and is managed by Tià Simó and Raúl Gonzalo. It offers a complete design and naval architecture service for new construction as well as refits, working in partnership with yacht builders or directly with yacht owners themselves.

BYD Group has an international network of partners and, after almost two decades of continually expanding operation, it has truly earned its place a trusted name in the yachting community. It works on the full spectrum of vessels, from smaller watercraft to superyachts, both sailing yachts and motoryachts, and has a number of international awards to its name.

With 20 and 30 years’ respective experience in the design, development, engineering and refitting of yachts, Simó and Gonzalo both studied Naval Architecture at the renowned Southampton University and Southampton Solent University. Their team includes naval architects, structural engineers, hydrodynamicists, exterior and interior designers, who are alumni of Europe’s leading design institutions, such as Southampton University & Institute, Coventry University, ELISAVA design school and renowned Italia schools for interior design. BYD Group is a member of ANEN (the Spanish Nautical Association) and RINA (the Royal Institute of Naval Architects).

BYD Group considers its fleet to be a part of the family for the long-term. Thanks to the company’s extensive in-house skillset and investment in the most sophisticated design technologies available, it is able to support a yacht through its entire life cycle, from the earliest concept drawings with clients, construction phases and delivery to the annual maintenance, periodic refits and full-scale upgrades. For example, BYD Group uses a unique 3D laser scanning. It provides the opportunity to have the detailed digital geometric information of a boat. It helps develop and optimize refit projects, execute stability tests, rate racing yachts, and so on.