Just a little less than a year ago, Maserati announced a luxury all-electric motorboat fondly called the Tridente. If you're not familiar with the story, yes you read that right. The famous Italian marque has a boat in its list of products, and if you're still a little confused, no one will blame you.
Car manufacturers don't just make boats. However, if you think that's an absolute rule without precedence of an exception, you may want to do a little bit of research.
So what's the deal with the Maserati boat. It may be Maserati's way of drawing more attention to the Folgore concept. Folgore is the moniker Maserati is using for all its electric vehicles, and as the self-imposed deadline for making all cars in the Maserati fleet electric draws near, the marque needs to make sure all its fans are ready for the transition.
In our conversations with multiple Maserati executives in the last two years, we've witnessed nothing but excitement about the Folgore push from the folks at the company. Somewhat surprisingly, that includes GT Racing legend and MC12 'pilot' Andrea Bertolini. I expected a little bit of hesitation about the move to electric cars but to my surprise, he was all in.
Back to that beautiful powerboat. Maserati collaborated with VitaPower (a name better associated with boats) on the development of the Tridente. VitaPower has had the mission of reducing the carbon footprint of boating from its beginning and is solely involved in the development of emissions-free electric boats.
The 10.5m boat seats 9 passengers (10 people if you count the captain) in a cockpit you can configure for dining or acceleration. There's also an aft sundeck with a bathing area equipped with a shower and ladder to facilitate a dip in whatever water body you choose to go cruising on.
The Tridente comes with 500 hp and is equipped with a 252 kWh lithium-ion battery. It has a cruising speed of 25 knots and a top speed of 40 knots.
Carbon fiber is the material of choice for the construction of the boat. However, the motif on the bow and other parts of the boat gives the impression of a classic polished wooden runabout. Best of all, the battery can be recharged in less than an hour.
It doesn't hurt that the tender builder Hodgdon Yachts was enlisted to help with the craftsmanship, and the aesthetic of the boat shows the quality of work done. The cherry on the cake? The large Maserati trident proudly displayed on the bow.
We got our first look at the boat at the Monaco Yacht Show back in September 2024 (Maserati's first appearance at the Monaco Yacht Show), and it's safe to say anyone who placed an order is in for a treat. It's one thing to buy a boat that has that classic Riva boat vibe. It's another for it to be a zero-emissions variation and carry the Maserati Trident like a medal of honor.
Paired with the GranCabrio Folgore at the event, it's not hard to see why there's a lot of excitement about this boat. For the uninitiated, the Folgore version of the GranCabrio is the emissions-free convertible cousin of the indomitable GranTurismo.
Having driven the GranCabrio Folgore on the scenic 17-Mile Drive in Monterey, if the boat is anything like that car, all Maserati fans who like boats should be signing up to get one.
The Tridente is built for lake cruising and one ideal place that comes to mind is Lake Como. The northern Italy lake has long been associated with Riva runabout boats, and Maserati's new entrant will fit right in. If you're one of the fortunate people who call the Lake Como area home, here's a boat that will perfectly complement your lakeside villa.
