Benetti sells first 40m B.Neos featuring MAN Smart Hybrid System

Benetti has announced the sale of the first B.Neos, a 40.6‑metre, 296 GT displacement superyacht scheduled for delivery in spring 2028. Dubbed “The Soul of Silence”, the vessel will feature the first ever MAN Smart Hybrid System to be delivered on a superyacht. 

Benetti premiered the B.Neos series at the 2025 Cannes show, with the new series being the first to feature a hybrid drive as standard. In the hybrid train of the B.Neos, two MAN V8-900 with 662 kW (900 hp) and two 200 kW electric engines work together. The overall system meets the requirements of the IMO Tier III emissions directive through the use of the MAN SCR system, thus ensuring significantly reduced emissions. 

The MAN Smart Hybrid System was introduced by MAN Engines in 2025 as a solution for the superyacht industry’s trend towards hybrid propulsion solutions. The system architecture of the MAN Smart Hybrid system allows hybridisation levels of up to 35% of the total output and is compatible with all common transmission configurations, according to MAN. 

In its announcement, Benetti said that the “setup allows for zero-emission electric cruising and anchoring, reducing fuel consumption and emissions by up to 30 per cent while creating an atmosphere of absolute tranquility, entirely free from noise, exhaust fumes, and vibration.” On the first B.Neos, MAN V8-800 engines will be deployed. 

The new hybrid system will allow B.Neos’ captain to easily toggle between battery electric, diesel or a combination of the two depending on the operation of the vessel. The system was developed by MAN in conjunction with Benetti.