The Air Car

[Pedro]

Air Car - First Air-Powered Car - Zero Emissions - Behind the Tech - Popular Mechanics

"India’s largest automaker is set to start producing the world’s first commercial air-powered vehicle. The Air Car, developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy Nègre for Luxembourg-based MDI, uses compressed air, as opposed to the gas-and-oxygen explosions of internal-combustion models, to push its engine’s pistons. Some 6000 zero-emissions Air Cars are scheduled to hit Indian streets in August of 2008.

Barring any last-minute design changes on the way to production, the Air Car should be surprisingly practical. The $12,700 CityCAT, one of a handful of planned Air Car models, can hit 68 mph and has a range of 125 miles. It will take only a few minutes for the CityCAT to refuel at gas stations equipped with custom air compressor units; MDI says it should cost around $2 to fill the car’s carbon-fiber tanks with 340 liters of air at 4350 psi. Drivers also will be able to plug into the electrical grid and use the car’s built-in compressor to refill the tanks in about 4 hours.

Of course, the Air Car will likely never hit American shores, especially considering its all-glue construction. But that doesn’t mean the major automakers can write it off as a bizarre Indian experiment — MDI has signed deals to bring its design to 12 more countries, including Germany, Israel and South Africa."

Once again American way of driving is keeping us from retiring gas cars and stopping the dependency on foreign oil.

[Requiem]

I'm thinking a lot of people in America would have bought this type of car, only $2 to fill this thing up? Beats the $50 that people are paying now, even if you have to refill it a bit more than a normal gas powered car. Also the clean emissions would be nice.

[Aratus]

Sounds pretty cool and hope it catches on

[Kazo]

if not i would get one imported (if i have the money) i doubt i travel anywhere near 125 miles a day for work and school, so the 4 hour charge wont be a big deal for me.

[FluffyBunni]

Stupid thing will probably get a lawsuit agianst it when it comes to America because it is too unsafe (The American way: "Want to have it your way? Sue the bastards!"). However it is nice to see some innovation in the auto industry starting to pan out.

[ununseptium]

well what ever people do I hope it's not ethanol it takes more oil energy to make that crap than what is given from the ethanol its self.

[Zinmasterb]

Compressed air to push the cylinders and they say it'll go over 60 miles an hour?
Ever hear of the first law of thermodynamics?
I'd be amazed if this thing could go faster than a Model T.

And it's not just the American way of driving that prevents us from unanchoring ourselves from oil.
Can you imagine what would happen to Big Oil, and all it's investors, if they world miraculously switched to all hybrids?
Can you even imagine the plausibility of aforementioned statement? There is no way that the populous as a whole is going to drop their SUVs and Porsches for these little... golf carts. Not in their current form anyway.

Face it people, the only practical way to power a car at the moment is petroleum. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for innovation and if we can remove our dependency, props for us. But showing me a compressed air system that can power a commercial airliner is the only way you're going to get me to change my position.
So seriously, saying things like "Once again American way of driving is keeping us from retiring gas cars and stopping the dependency on foreign oil." is absolutely ridiculous. It's common logic, deeply rooted economics, and just pure science that keeps holier-than-thou methods from ever, you know, working.

[Sleeky]

Originally Posted by Zinmasterb

Compressed air to push the cylinders and they say it'll go over 60 miles an hour?
Ever hear of the first law of thermodynamics?
I'd be amazed if this thing could go faster than a Model T.

And it's not just the American way of driving that prevents us from unanchoring ourselves from oil.
Can you imagine what would happen to Big Oil, and all it's investors, if they world miraculously switched to all hybrids?
Can you even imagine the plausibility of aforementioned statement? There is no way that the populous as a whole is going to drop their SUVs and Porsches for these little... golf carts. Not in their current form anyway.

Face it people, the only practical way to power a car at the moment is petroleum. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for innovation and if we can remove our dependency, props for us. But showing me a compressed air system that can power a commercial airliner is the only way you're going to get me to change my position.
So seriously, saying things like "Once again American way of driving is keeping us from retiring gas cars and stopping the dependency on foreign oil." is absolutely ridiculous. It's common logic, deeply rooted economics, and just pure science that keeps holier-than-thou methods from ever, you know, working.

I don't know. I'm starting to see more Smart Cars on the road around here. Often enough that I'm starting to think it's more then just a fad.

[Necrotix]

Holy crap, i want one, doesn't matter how high priced it is, the amount of money you save on gas probably makes up for it

[Moobsy]

Originally Posted by Zinmasterb

Compressed air to push the cylinders and they say it'll go over 60 miles an hour?
Ever hear of the first law of thermodynamics?
I'd be amazed if this thing could go faster than a Model T.

I first saw this on the Discovery Channel's series "Future Car," which is really cool by the way.

The car does not defy the laws of thermodynamics, in fact working prototypes exist and can go 200 miles on one tank and it does top out at 60ish.

It works using the laws of hydrolic compression.

Here is some video:

YouTube - The Air Car