Car that runs on air

[N2CHX]

Interesting, but I don't agree with the hype that it's "zero emission" and requires no fuel to run. It takes energy to compress the air to run it and the energy has to come from somewhere.

http://www.flixxy.com/zero-pollution-automobile.htm

[WV6Z]

I saw that a couple of years ago and I think they teamed, at that time, with TATA. Would be nice if they would really shift in to high gear and get in to mass production with these things. If they would ever be allowed to be sold in the US, I know I would be one of the first in line to purchase one.

[kb2crk]

i would like to see a hydrogen fuel cell car. but they are very expensive and only available in california as of right now.

[WV6Z]

Paul it was you or Charles that originally sent me this I think, two or three years ago now. Fascinating to say the least.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVIwropRMME&feature=related

[kb2crk]

i read up on the tata's a couple years ago. great idea but i believe the reciprocating engine would be better replaced with a more efficient rotary vane design. if you think about it there are many vehicles available in europe that are not available here that get exceptional economy on diesel fuel, (vw blue motion polo 74mpg) but due to our restrictive safety standards we may never see them.

[WV6Z]

Here is a linky to their site....

http://www.mdi.lu/english/

[WV6Z]

And a bit more from CNN Intl.....

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2010/10/27/ef.air.pod.car.bk.c.cnn?iref=allsearch

[N8YX]

A flatulence-powered car would be the shizzle.

[HUGH]

It seems to me that the more processes used to supply energy to a vehicle the less the efficiency but on the other hand this car doesn't have to carry a huge battery around.

It also brings to mind electric trains where there are only motors and a fairly unlimited supply of power from overhead or third rail versus diesel or diesel-electric where it all has to be carried on board and there is a power limit on acceleration.

[N8GAV]

A flatulence-powered car would be the shizzle.

Yea more so after eating Tex-Mex :)

[kb2crk]

A flatulence-powered car would be the shizzle.

i would never have to buy fuel again......

[w2amr]

Paul it was you or Charles that originally sent me this I think, two or three years ago now. Fascinating to say the least.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVIwropRMME&feature=relatedI wouldn't want to get T boned by an F150 Pick up in one of those things.:hand:

[W3MIV]

I wouldn't want to get T boned by an F150 Pick up in one of those things.:hand:

I agree. In fact, I wouldn't want to get t-boned by an F150 in anything.

[n2ize]

Interesting, but I don't agree with the hype that it's "zero emission" and requires no fuel to run. It takes energy to compress the air to run it and the energy has to come from somewhere.


Exactly. There is no free ride... as the conservation of energy law tells us. Sure the car runs on nice clean compressed air and the stored compressed air can be measured as potential energy, similar to a wound up spring. But, much as it takes energy to wind up the spring it takes energy to compress the air. Notice that in the video he turns on an electric compressor to compress the air into the tanks on the car. Welll the potential energy in the stored compressed air comes from mechanical enegy which comes from electrical energy. That electrical energy most likely comes from coal, oil, or atomic energy. In other words although the car is converting stored potential energy into kinetic energy to do work and there is no fuel consumed at the car there was fuel consumed to make the electricity to compress the air. So fuel was most likely burned and there most likely were emissions of greenhouse gases, hydrocarbons, etc. It;s just happening elsewhere.

Now, if these cars can be run on compressed air using energy produced entirely from wind or solar power we might have something.

[w2amr]

I agree. In fact, I wouldn't want to get t-boned by an F150 in anything.In anything you might stand a chance to survive. Which are better odds then in THAT thing.

[kb2crk]

In anything you might stand a chance to survive. Which are better odds then in THAT thing.

and the smart car would be any better?

[w2amr]

and the smart car would be any better? Ain't Nothing smart about getting squished.:nono:

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

And that is the point of this little exercise.
The car is not running on air, it is running on compressed gas.
If the gas were hydrogen would you say it is a hydrogen powered car?
Anything that can run on steam can run on compressed air, so, lets look back on this means of power.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_car
Notice that the SAAB was a car that used compressed air to get things rolling while the steam was getting going?
The other trouble is in the fact that in a compressed gas automobile we have this tank with very high pressures.

[NA4BH]

That car is a big hit. They are going to call it "Bodacious TaTa's".

[WV6Z]

Here's one to please all of you Obama Zombies, Republitardz and Douche Baggers..............


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAqPMJFaEdY

[KG4CGC]

Tom, I believe we discussed this on the return trip from Shelby in 2008, the first year that it was held in Dallas NC and the year that 2 WTFs rode with us as well as one of the WTF's harmonics. As we got packed in for the return trip home, the wider of the WTFs was in the front passenger seat and he started to roll down the window. There must have been something wrong with it because you told him very sternly, "Whatever you do, don't roll down the fucking window!" At which point, the 6 year old harmonic of the other WTF asked, "Daddy, why can't he roll down the fucking window?"

Well anyway, on the way back near Gaffney we spoke of this compressed air car. The idea was being bandied about that the only way they'd let it be sold in the states is if there was also a diesel engine on board.

[WV6Z]

Yeah, I vaguely remember most of that..... along with the window that had come off of it's track. Getting old is kinda fun, it's like waking up in a different world everyday.

Not knowing anything about the subject of diesels, I am guessing that there is some sort of issue, or higher degree of difficulty with getting diesels made street legal in the US. My uncle has a little 'estate wagon' back in Blighty that manages something like 1/3 bhp from a turbo diesel that's displacement is something 1.1 cu/ml, but manages to get like 3,675,092 km/l. Yes, my specs are all tongue in cheek, because I don't remember all the particulars but I do remember it was insanely impressive. I'm quite sure that it is a Vauxhall Astra that manages almost 70 mpg combined city and highway mileage from it's 1.3CDTi 16v.

My point? Simple...... this is a GM car, so why isn't something like this very attractive little car available here verses a horrid little pieces of shit like the Chevy Cobalt and HHR? I'm not suggesting we import cars from Blighty, but seriously, why the hell, at the least, isn't this power plant replicated here in the US and used in the garbage that GM offers us over here? Now it's a bit foggy, but I do recall that there was some discussion here or somewhere over the years as to exactly why high efficiency, low horsepower turbo diesels that get insane levels of fuel economy are not offered over here and as I recall, the argument was a good one, but at the moment, I just can't remember why we are force fed shitty little cars that get 30+ mpg with petrol engines when we could, or should, be offered shitty little cars that manage 70 mpg from diesels.

Smart Car? Is that REALLY the best you can do? You gotta be shittin me! 41 mpg and you think that gives you bragging rights? Get da f%@& outta here! Something is really wrong with this picture.

[PA5COR]

http://www.nextgreencar.com/search/all-vehicle-classes/Diesel/mpg/
http://www.nextgreencar.com/search_database/index.php?filters large family cars.

[KG4CGC]

Yeah, I vaguely remember most of that..... along with the window that had come off of it's track. Getting old is kinda fun, it's like waking up in a different world everyday.

Not knowing anything about the subject of diesels, I am guessing that there is some sort of issue, or higher degree of difficulty with getting diesels made street legal in the US. My uncle has a little 'estate wagon' back in Blighty that manages something like 1/3 bhp from a turbo diesel that's displacement is something 1.1 cu/ml, but manages to get like 3,675,092 km/l. Yes, my specs are all tongue in cheek, because I don't remember all the particulars but I do remember it was insanely impressive. I'm quite sure that it is a Vauxhall Astra that manages almost 70 mpg combined city and highway mileage from it's 1.3CDTi 16v.

My point? Simple...... this is a GM car, so why isn't something like this very attractive little car available here verses a horrid little pieces of shit like the Chevy Cobalt and HHR? I'm not suggesting we import cars from Blighty, but seriously, why the hell, at the least, isn't this power plant replicated here in the US and used in the garbage that GM offers us over here? Now it's a bit foggy, but I do recall that there was some discussion here or somewhere over the years as to exactly why high efficiency, low horsepower turbo diesels that get insane levels of fuel economy are not offered over here and as I recall, the argument was a good one, but at the moment, I just can't remember why we are force fed shitty little cars that get 30+ mpg with petrol engines when we could, or should, be offered shitty little cars that manage 70 mpg from diesels.

Smart Car? Is that REALLY the best you can do? You gotta be shittin me! 41 mpg and you think that gives you bragging rights? Get da f%@& outta here! Something is really wrong with this picture.
OK, I had a 79 Plymouth Arrow with a 3 valve per that got 45 mpg. (1600cc) Top speed in 4th gear was 111 mph. Not bad for 90 hp.
They don't want to bring the type of diesel in that you're talking about because in the US, you are expected to merge into traffic at a high rate of speed, quickly.
Diesel on the compressed air car, I would have it to keep the pressure up in the air tank and perhaps power some electricals, like ham gear.

[NQ6U]

The problem with compressed air powered anything is that a lot of the energy used to compress the air is turned into heat in the process. If you don't use the air while it's still hot, all that energy is wasted.