Economics
The Decarbonisation
In order to implement an effective decarbonisation of maritime transportation systems, not only new drive systems and fuels are needed, but also new types of ships. Conventional ships require the most energy to overcome the resistance of the water.
By utilising the ground effect and the vehicle's highly energy-efficient mode of locomotion as it flairs over the surface of the water, CO₂ emissions can be reduced to an absolute minimum to save over 70-90% compared to conventional means of transport.
The Flair Mode
The german slider runs in three different speed levels: »Displacement«, »Glide« or »Flair«. Until flair mode is reached, it travels for 1-3 minutes like a conventional motorboat, then makes optimum use of the ground effect and hovers just above the water surface, completely avoiding water displacement. This means that the ground effect vehicle requires significantly less drive power, which makes the use of electric motors or hydrogen drives possible very quickly.
Journey Time and Maintenance
The significantly higher speeds that these vehicles can reach and the low fuel consumption mean that journey and travel times are considerably shorter, the range of the vehicles is greater and transport is more efficient and more comfortable.
The much more flexible deployment options compared to conventional watercrafts and the more favourable maintenance costs also contribute to the attractiveness of the Slider.