I just got the Android app running on the Linux desktop :-)

On Debian Stretch I used an old emulator from 2016: Shashlik 0.9.3

Advantage - super simple

Disadvantage - buggy and not maintained any more

But it is running well for me. Even with the correct locale:

What I did ...

Install Shashlik

Install OVMS apk in Shashlik

Create folder ~/.local/share/shashlik/system

Edit 

/opt/shashlik/android/config.ini

hw.ramSize=8000

/opt/shashlik/bin/shashlik-run

emulator_args 

change "-noskin" to "-skin", "480x800",

Create an executable script /usr/local/bin/ovms containing:

#!/bin/bash

cd /opt/shashlik/bin/

./shashlik-run com.openvehicles.OVMS com.openvehicles.OVMS.apk

Start it with the command "ovms" on the console.

Set locale in a second console:

adb shell "setprop persist.sys.language de; setprop persist.sys.country DE;"

After restart of the emulator locale is set.

On a black screen with only arrows (yes, it is buggy):

adb shell rm -rf "/data/system/*"

and restart the emulator.

Have fun ...

Regards

Chris