Air-powered autos...

[goodoptics]

Cool!

http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/wo_harney091902.asp

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: goodoptics
Cool!

http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/wo_harney091902.asp

Cool Indeed!

For their $10 million investment, licensees get a turnkey plant package. ?Everything is included? for a franchise, says Vencat. ?It?s a little bit like running a McDonalds. You get all your equipment, all your raw materials, you do your thing, and you sell it.? Negre estimates that each plant can produce from 2,500 to 5,000 cars a year.

The concept has proven quite appealing, especially to countries outside the United States. Thus far, Negre says MDI has issued 32 licenses in 12 countries such as South Africa, Mexico, Spain and Australia. He says 28 more licenses are pending; the licensees have been signed and now have 30 days to come through with payment.

:Q

 

[GoingUp]

Sweet! Thats quite an invention.

 

[The Stigenator]

Saw a review of it on BBC WORLD a few days back.. The thing is noisy (like riding in a harley davidson) but the technology works.. they are showcasing a new one for paris auto show (new engine).. the onboard charger takes 4 hrs to do it at home.. the factory can do it in 3 minutes.. but so far that high pressure thing is only available at the factory.. but they will soon sell it to the gas stations to have it there..

Its an interesting technology but reliablity is a question.. (even the BBC journalist had his questions).. He said "you sure cant make doughnuts but you can definately get from one place to another under air power".. the the first gen engine produces 25bhp.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Cool

but, they've yet to master methanol powered or electric cars and now they're contemplating air powered. ALL of them have discussed about availability of power source at gas stations. :frown:

Common gas stations won't ever have gasoline, diesel, methanol, E85, electricity, propane and compressed air together in one station. The big debate is which alternative power source should be carried by a common gas stations.

 

[C'DaleRider]

It seems to me that it's just more a variation of an electric car that's using compressed air as its storage medium.

...the air is both cooled to minus 100 degrees Centigrade and compressed to 4,500 pounds per square inch...

Can you see the explosions when the air tanks, under 4500psi pressure, are suddenly ruptured in an accident? I'd rather try to survive an acid spill from batteries.

And how is the tank keep the air cool at minus 100 degrees Centigrade? Guess it's more electricity. So, the vehicle is a point-source pollution free vehicle, not a zero-pollution vehicle, of which none exist. The electricity that's used for the air that the inventor barely mentions must be generated using some sort of energy source, and here in the states it comes from coal, oil, or nuclear power......none of which are exactly pollution free. Hydro power is not a viable alternative........dams are just too expensive, too few, and none are being built.

Seems as it's a waste since new cars are becoming virtually pollution-free in themselves.