Over the water by car: an electric amphibious hovercraft was built in the UK

Electric cars are one of the most famous automotive concepts today, so they are being developed in many parts of the world. And we are talking not only about improving the original design of the car, but also about creating unusual modifications. The latter was just created in the UK - an electric car moving on an air cushion is presented there.

The photo is taken from the site: https://www.autoevolution.com

The authors of the unusual concept were the engineers of the company VonMercier, which is known for the production of premium manned electric cars. However, this time they decided to release a non-standard electric car.

VonMercier Company has created the world's first "luxury sport car".

The statement is, of course, a bold one. Hovercraft have existed since the 50s and have not fundamentally changed, and to call a “luxury” unit, handicraft welded from steel sheets, does not turn your tongue, even if it is covered from the outside with an elegant carbon body kit. But most importantly, this thing cannot be considered a car either, because, according to US laws, it is forbidden to travel on public roads. Formally, this is a boat, because hovercraft are small-sized fleets, even if they move on land.

Called the Arosa, the vehicle "combines cutting-edge hovercraft technology with electric vehicle innovation," the developers said. The design of the electric car is made in a futuristic style: it has an open cockpit, a tandem seating arrangement, and a digital dashboard.

Structurally, the electric car has an all-electric powertrain, which consists of a gasoline engine driven by three electric motors, and is also equipped with a buffer battery that stores electricity for shorter high-speed bursts. However, an air cushion was installed at the bottom of the machine: instead of rims, it was equipped with a set of rotors for fan ducts to increase the maneuverability of the model.

From the technical characteristics of the unusual concept, it is currently known that the electric car has a range of just over 300 kilometers, and is also capable of speeds of 65 kilometers per hour, which is approximately the same as a standard electric car. An air cushion raises the car above the ground at a distance of 20 centimeters. True, Arosa cannot move on the roadway, but flies only over water, which is why the developers are positioning themselves as an amphibious electric car.

The creators claim that Arosa managed to get rid of the main disadvantages of hovercraft: disgusting handling, lack of brakes and terrible noise. To do this, side propellers are mounted on the machine, which serve to keep on course and brake, and also look like large rims. To create an air cushion and horizontal thrust, electric motors with a capacity of 118 liters (88 kW) are used, which are less noisy than conventional gasoline engines. True, the autonomy is also small - up to 45 miles (72 km) between battery recharges. The top speed is also not impressive - 60 miles per hour (96 km/h).

Representatives of VonMercier plan that their unusual hovercraft will go on sale this summer. The cost of one unit is planned at the level of 100 thousand dollars. At the moment, the developers provide for the assembly of about 50 Arosa units. However, apparently, they will need to increase production volumes, since people have already made pre-orders for the new car.

The photo is taken from the site: https://www.autoevolution.com