Bill Gates might not be buying that $644 million hydrogen-powered yacht after all (UPDATE)
UPDATE: Feb. 10, 2020, 2:02 p.m. CET Sinot, the maker of the Sinot Aqua yacht, told the BBC that the yacht has "not been sold to Mr Gates and that it had "no business relationship" with Bill Gates." Our original story has been updated to reflect this.
The Telegraph reported on Sunday that Bill Gates is buying the Sinot Aqua, a hydrogen-powered superyacht with an estimated price tag of $644 million. However, the yacht's maker Sinot later told the BBC this is not the case. A spokeswoman for the firm said the Aqua yacht is "not linked" to Mr. Gates or any of his representatives.
We've contacted Bill Gates for comment and will update the article when we hear back.
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The 112-meter long yacht has five decks which host 14 guests and a 31-person crew. It comes with a number of ultra-fancy amenities, including an infinity pool, a deck lounge that turns into a home (boat?) cinema, a spa, gym, beauty salon, helipad, and a private observatory deck at the yacht's bow with a near-unlimited view of the ocean.
The yacht’s two 1MW motors, fueled by two massive hydrogen tanks, give it a 17-knot top speed and a 3,750-mile range.
Despite all the luxury, the fact that the Aqua is the first fully hydrogen-powered vessel of its kind gives the yacht an environmentally-friendly note, though I somehow doubt we'll see people buying such vessels en masse, however sustainable it may be.
According to The Guardian, Gates often takes holidays on superyachts, though he typically rents them.
The yacht, which was announced at last year's Monaco Yacht Show, will likely go to sea in 2024.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is currently the second-richest person in the world according to Forbes, with an estimated $96.5 billion fortune. Together with his wife Melinda, he oversees the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the largest private charity organization in the world.
Stan is a Senior Editor at Mashable, where he has worked since 2007. He's got more battery-powered gadgets and band t-shirts than you. He writes about the next groundbreaking thing. Typically, this is a phone, a coin, or a car. His ultimate goal is to know something about everything.
