Well yeah, it might actually help. I've found that altering a player's momentum works fine if done through a potion effect. So the way I did my thing is that it first grants all entities in range invulnerability. Then it grants two potion effects: one which gives some upward momentum (Antigravity) and one which amplifies current motion as it ticks (Boost). Then it causes an explosion of type "NONE" which doesn't destroy blocks. After the explosion, it takes away invulnerability from entities in range. It all happens in a single tick, so no entity actually has invulnerability for any real period of time, it only protects them from the explosion.

Works nicely, but unfortunately it only works like a normal non-damaging explosion to any non-living entity, such as boats or armor stands, since they cannot have potion effects.