A supercar that uses compressed air to slide at high speeds

The concept

The Elektrogliss is an electric ground effect supercar that uses compressed air to slide at high speed on paved roads. It’s powered by a 225kw hydrogen fuel cell.

Rendering from Charles Bombardier

The background

Since March 2013, I have created more than 150 new vehicle concepts with the help of designers based around the world. Sometimes my ideas take shape whilst I am simultaneously working on unrelated concepts. The Elektrogliss is one of those creations, which, came to mind during the ideation of a Hovercraft ATV and on a 3,000 horsepower turbine powered Hermes supercar.

How it works

Take a closer look at the Elektrogliss and you will notice that it has no wheels… Instead, it’s equipped with four powerful lateral fans used to build up an air cushion under the vehicle’s frame. These fans also help align the car in the desired direction similarly to bow thrusters found on ships

On the car’s side, you will notice minimalistic air skirts. Air will exit from these sides to maintain a certain gap with the pavement, but most of the compressed air will be expelled from the rear through controlled vents that pivot left to right.

Powering the Elektrogliss is a 225kw hydrogen fuel cell located under the hood of the car.

What it’s used for

The Elektrogliss concept’s purpose is to spark your imagination. It would be useful to avoid potholes and it would certainly be fast if it was used to travel across cities on smooth paved roads. However, the cost would be an issue along with the noise of the fans and the dynamic control.

The designer

I would like to thank Abhishek Roy, who created the renderings of the Elektrogliss. Roy is the owner of Lunatic Koncepts, a design firm based in India. Roy’s team also created the renderings for the Korbiyor driverless hearse and the Dolfido electric submarine.