CibbuanoThis car runs on air!
January 23rd 2008 11:11
I wrote about this earlier and it looks as if it's going to take off... Guy Negre, French inventor, created a car that runs on compressed air and Tata, the Indian car manufacturer is going to mass produce the vehicles, selling them for about $10 000.
Put your hands in the air like you just don't care!
Did you hear me? A car that runs on air and costs $10 000? This could be the spark we've been waiting for.
From Plenty Magazine, the car can run for about 60 miles on one tank of air, which can be filled by an industrial compressor in two minutes, or by plugging the vehicle in for four hours.
The car has plenty of critics... after all 60 miles isn't a lot, and at the end of the day, the car is still using electricity, which is polluting somewhere.
But this is a great start - and a brilliant one... a gasoline car uses the energy of the fuel to compress air... this just bypasses the fuel and uses compressed air to start. Efficient, I'd say, especially as the technology matures.
Yes, it's using electricity, but this way, we have more control over the efficiency of the energy generation, even mitigating the pollution by using other technologies, such as solar or hydro.
Of course, we'll have to see how this pans out... it's still unknown how safe the vehicle is, carrying around a tank of compressed air,
Put your hands in the air like you just don't care!
Did you hear me? A car that runs on air and costs $10 000? This could be the spark we've been waiting for.
From Plenty Magazine, the car can run for about 60 miles on one tank of air, which can be filled by an industrial compressor in two minutes, or by plugging the vehicle in for four hours.
The car has plenty of critics... after all 60 miles isn't a lot, and at the end of the day, the car is still using electricity, which is polluting somewhere.
But this is a great start - and a brilliant one... a gasoline car uses the energy of the fuel to compress air... this just bypasses the fuel and uses compressed air to start. Efficient, I'd say, especially as the technology matures.
Yes, it's using electricity, but this way, we have more control over the efficiency of the energy generation, even mitigating the pollution by using other technologies, such as solar or hydro.
Of course, we'll have to see how this pans out... it's still unknown how safe the vehicle is, carrying around a tank of compressed air,
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Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Is it US $10,000 or AUD? Either way, it's fantastic and I'll have that blue one right there.
So much of my problem with the eco-cars is their incredible smallness, but one day my old LPG ford wagon is going to have to be updated. I often have to be able to carry a wheelchair for my daughter when long distance walking is involved at the destination ... and that blue ute is awesome!
Oh yeah, I can't wait to see the oligarchy squash this one with OTT import taxes.
L
Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
I don't think the compressed air tank would be anywhere near as dangerous as a compressed LPG tank, which is driving around with a bomb under the bonnet!
Years ago I thought that electirc cars should be everywhere, with all the parking meters turned into re-charging stations, maybe something like that could be done for the air car?
Maybe the tank could be made bigger, the engine could be rotary, usuing less power/air to drive it?
And the drop in polluton would be enormous!! As for power stations, we need to work towards filtering what comes out of the ruddy stacks first, then trun to addding on solar and invest in making an electro magnetic drive...all problems solved with that last one.
cheers
fog
Comment by Cibbuano
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By including an onboard compressor, you could fill the tank from an electric charging station, or from solar panels, I bet.
You could even include a rotary handcrank so you could pump it a little yourself. nice idea? I like!
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
But maybe, as you suggested, solar panels, say on the roof, could drive a generator pump onboard, so you constantly replenish the tank as you use it, and during the night, maybe a dynamo type generator, attached to the wheels, which does the same thing?
Well, come to think of it, the dynamo could be the solution totally. Remember they used to be on bicycles to light up the bike headlight?
Maybe we should write to Tati and suggest our ideas?
hehe!
cheers
fog