The Maserati Tridente Boat Takes to the Water
Designed by Maserati and powered by Vita.
When you stop to think about it, full electrification may make more sense for recreational vehicles than for vehicles people rely on for everyday commuting or long road trips. After all, if you use your all-terrain vehicle, snowmobile, or jet ski for just a few hours of fun every week, you banish concerns about range anxiety or the relative health of the local recharging infrastructure.
The same holds true for luxury day cruisers that are confined to land-locked bodies of water, such as the lake district in Northern Italy. The Italians have a long and storied history with open water, so it makes sense that one of the country’s top automotive brands, Maserati, has just launched an all-electric motorboat that’s well-suited to enjoying la dolce vita. The Tridente is a luxury day cruiser and the first-ever collaboration between the automaker and Vita Power, experts in all-electric propulsion. For its part, Maserati is no stranger to electrification either: the brand fields a team in the all-electric FIA Formula E World Championship, competing against the likes of Jaguar, McLaren, and Porsche.
Maserati has also recently introduced a trio of high-performance, all-electric vehicles under the Folgore (Italian for “lightning”) banner: the Grecale, GranTurismo, and GranCabrio. These are the first salvos in the company’s mission to go entirely electric by 2030, a transition it’s clearly taking very seriously.
On the water, we’re given a quick blast on Lake Maggiore in the Tridente. The trip is woefully short, from the dock in Stresa to the landing point on Isola Bella, one of three Borromean Islands that dot the near horizon. But even in that brief time on board, the 10.5-metre dayboat impresses.
First of all, the power is mighty. The captain warns us to prepare ourselves, and it’s a good thing he does—if not, the two passengers riding on the swim platform would’ve been jettisoned into the lake. The all-electric powertrain developed by Vita Power generates up to 600 horsepower, enabling a cruising speed of 25 knots and a top speed of 40 knots.
The Tridente is not as quiet as the cars in the Folgore range; while the motors are silent, the propellers create a noticeable growl. This is a bit surprising, but it actually creates an even greater sense of speed—and it probably helps the lake’s fish and wildlife get out of the way.
The all-electric powertrain is controlled through Vita Power’s proprietary software system. This system also allows the 252 kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery pack to vault from 10 to 90 per cent charge, using DC fast-charging, in under an hour. Vita Power is also parent company to Aqua superPower, an electric charging station network the company is deploying around the world. The company’s mission is to preserve the enjoyment of the boating lifestyle while reducing the impact on the marine environment.
The Maserati Tridente is also visually impressive. Constructed of lightweight carbon fibre, the exterior of the cruiser is, for the most part, sleek and minimalist. Only the bold, oversized trident on the front deck goes against the tide. The colour palette used for the boat is light: the hull is slate grey, while the deck, cockpit, and sun deck are all bright white. If the range of colours were on the darker side, the Tridente would resemble the kind of boat a Bond villain would use to escape an international manhunt.
In addition to the sundeck, the Trident features a bathing area with shower. The cockpit has seating for eight passengers. The helm is minimalist in design, with a large digital instrument panel positioned just above a three-spoke Maserati steering wheel.
The design of the Tridente has been a co-operative effort between the Maserati design studio, led by Klause Busse, and Vita Power. Once the final design was approved by both parties, construction was completed by Hodgdon Yachts of Maine, a specialist superyacht tender in business since 1816.
As we wrapped up our brief experience with the Tridente, it was already clear that it will soon power to the top of the boating enthusiast’s wish list. The Italians are famous for many reasons, the facility to blend performance with high design and sheer luxury among them. This all-electric daycruiser, priced at 1.6 million euros to start, is living proof.
