Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How high does it go? What's it's clearance?
A. It rides on a cushion of air about 8 inches above the land or water.
Q. On water, will it take some mild chop?
A. Yes.
Q. Can I see it operate?
A. There are some videos embedded in the Gallery page.
Q. How does state registration work?
A. Register it as a boat.
Q. How fast does it go?
A. The production model will reach about 50mph (80kmh) on water.
Q. How much does it cost?
A. Visit https://www.vonmercier.co/reserve for the latest pricing estimates.
Q. Can I reserve an Arosa now?
A. Yes. Visit https://www.vonmercier.co/reserve to place a deposit.
Q. What's the delivery date?
A. The first VonMercier Arosa production units are expected to be available for delivery in 2023.
Q. Will you be showing this at boat shows and car shows?
A. Yes; we have been. Look for us to make more appearances in 2023.
Q. What is the warranty?
A. We anticipate a one-year warranty against manufacturing defect.
Q. Location for repairs and maintenance?
A. Primary location is at our headquarters in Maryland. We are exploring options with service providers in other locations.
Q. Can I get some basic specs on it?
A. See features and specs on the Arosa features and specs page here.
Q. What colors does the Arosa come in?
A. Customization is available and you can see some of the color variations at https://www.vonmercier.co/reserve.
Q. Can I take a test drive?
A. We will hopefully make Arosa available for test drives in 2023.
Q. Are there any independent reviews on the hovercraft's capabilities?
A. Not yet.
Q. How do you steer it?
A. You have a steering wheel that governs the thrust fans for maneuverability.
Q. Does it have brakes? How do you stop it?
A. There are no brakes, but there is reverse thrust. When you engage the left pedal the thrust air will flow out the front nozzles and slow you down. To make a sudden stop one must power down the lift while adjusting the thrust positioning. On land it will stop quickly. On snow or ice it will stop less quickly. On water it will stop like a boat stops.
Q. When it stops on water, does it float?
A. Yes, of course.
Q. Will this be street legal?
A. Hopefully one day.
Q. How big of a transport trailer is needed to transport it?
A. About 16' x 8'
Q. What service and maintenance requirements do you estimate this will require?
A. Certainly, you'll need a standard EV battery charger. Regular inspection and cleaning of the thrust fans and lift fan of debris, like leaves, will help keep the airflow systems in good condition. We are still working out the details of other service and maintenance requirements.
Q. Does it have any storage capacity? For example, a spot for a picnic basket, camping gear or fishing poles?
A. There is room in the cabin enough for a picnic basket and some camping gear. Fishing pole mounts can easily be added to the side decks. Some internal compartments will be included to keep things dry.
Q. How long before any of these units are available? When do you expect delivery?
A. First deliveries are expected in 2023. If you get a deposit in now you can still be in the first production run.
Q. Where are you located?
A. Havre de Grace, Maryland, US
Q. Will this be available for a test drive to serious buyers?
A. We expect to have a production model operational in 2023 and will be able to schedule showings and demonstrations.
Q. What is the maximum ramp slope it can negotiate on its own? up and down?
A. Going up it is likely a max of 5% grade from a dead stop. Steeper slopes can be traversed with a head start. 5% would be the max going down in full control while still on full hover. There are landing skids under the hull that can be used in partial hover for skidding while in motion if needed.
Q. Can it be towed while hovering up the ramp?
A. Yes; hover on and pull the craft from one of the deck cleats.
Q. How much dust/debris does it generate if driven on a paved road (say, from inside a gated community from the house to the boat ramp)?
A. It depends how dirty the road is. Tests on asphalt show minimal dust creation, but dry dirt can make some decent clouds of dust.