“I was able to put my little sister on it out in the garage and move it around,” Mercier says. “My mind was just blown.”Mercier built more sophisticated versions for school science fair projects. Even as he studied mechanical engineering in college and graduated to corporate roles in product development, “the idea for a better hovercraft was always in my head.”
Mercier, 36, is turning his vision into reality. His invention, the $200,000 battery-electric Arosa personal hovercraft, uses a trio of electric motors instead of a traditional gasoline engine. Mercier says the amphibious vehicle can hover about six inches in the air, allowing it to glide over grass, gravel, sand, snow and water.
Mercier and industrial design partner Ben Taber tinkered with the initial design, which they debuted in 2014 as the Supercraft, over the last decade to create a sleek hovercraft sporting sweeping lines, an aggressive front end, and a rear lower deck large enough for an optional swim ladder. Customers can choose between an 18 kilowatt-hour battery for 90 minutes of cruising, or roughly 30 to 40 miles, depending upon factors such as wind speed and water conditions. The 36 kilowatt-hour version can travel an estimated 80 miles over three hours. Both models can plug into any standard electric-vehicle charger.