The Air-Powered Car: Zero Emissions [merged threads]

**niky** · November 4th, 2004 09:34 PM

Actually, sitting on compressed air is no problem... air blowouts can be vented to the side... compressed hydrogen is scarier.

**Taurus** · September 13th, 2007 09:30 AM

World's First Air-Powered Car: Zero Emissions

This six-seater tax, which should be available in India next year, is powered entirely by a tank filled with compressed air.

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.

This is one excellent innovation!

Refueling in gas stations with air . . . libre lang to 'di ba! hehehe

(4350 psi pala

)

**170kphlang** · September 13th, 2007 09:35 AM

4 hours refill? ang tagal nun..

**niky** · September 13th, 2007 09:38 AM

4 hours with the built-in compressor.

I'd imagine the electricity cost for the fill here would be a bit more than $2... but if it's possible to bring such a vehicle in for fleet use, that would be quite nice.

But what do you use to run the aircon?