TREE huggers and those who lament the use or abuse of non-renewable resources, especially in the generation of energy and power, should take a long hard look at the proposed technology that is being touted by Motor Development Inc. founder Guy Negre and his manufacturer of choice, Tata Motors.
Yes, the same Tata Motors that has dared to bring forth the $2,500 car — while purchasing high-end Jaguar and Land Rover from a sputtering Ford Motor Company. The car invented by Mr. Negre is powered by compressed air. A full load of compressed air that can presumably be available in many or most gas stations takes only a few minutes to load and will take the prototype car a full 125 miles (200 km).
Now one has to take a long hard look at the Indian market and realize just how practical they are about their cars. The Maruti car company manufactures a local version of the Suzuki Alto which has a minuscule 800cc engine. This car may seat four or a maximum of five people anywhere else, but the intrepid Indians manage to shoehorn seven people in there! Imagine what they will do to a car designed for seven, as the first proposed model of the air car will do since it is supposed to perform yeoman’s chores as an everyday taxi.
The first model is to be named the CityCat and will cost about $12,500 — roughly the cost of a Corolla in most countries. It will run at a maximum speed of 68 mph (almost 110 kph) — just enough to stay within most speed limits, but putting a damper on the speed demons out there — which should get one from point A to point B in good time.
Now, this is probably the best idea for a practical car there is today. It will not spew any dangerous fumes or probably create a large carbon footprint. And air is available anywhere at a pittance compared to either the stratosphere-riding cost of gasoline and other alternative fuels. Until a viable solar powered car comes along, this will be the technology to beat.
Read about this amazing technology in the following threads.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_car
http://www.businessweek.com/autos/content/mar2007/bw20070319_949435.htm?campaign_id=rss_topDiscussed
19 Feedbacks on "The best car for our future: Powered by air?"
JC
Nice! This is an alternative choice for those who want to save on gas but dont want to but those expensive hybrids. It’s the solution to our gas problems… Now what happened to the Pinoy who built a car that runs on electricity anyway? I hope his invention will hit the Market soon!
harabas 2
Energy is required to compress air. If electricity is used to compress air, then it may be more expensive since oil or coal is consumed by electric power plants. Theoretically, it’s more expensive to use hydrogen or compressed air as fuel since extra energy is required to produce these fuel sources, and energy comes from fuel oil or electricity(which comes from use of fuel oil in power plant). Until this electricity becomes cheaper by the combined use of solar, hydro, and wind, the use of alternative fuel from compressed air or hydrogen(needs electricity to separate hydrogen and oxygen in water) is not economical.
Manny
An electrically powered car with compressed air as power backup will be an excellent idea.
The electricity to charge the batteries and compress the air will be derived from geothermal source that the Philippines has an abundance of.
How is the electric powered jeepneys doing in Makati and Bacolod ? Once that lithium ion battery is perfected, those fumes will be minimized !
jmajf
Actually, it is a given that some source of power must exist to be able to generate what is needed to “create” compressed air. Short of going nuclear, this is still a viable alternative to burning fossil fuels direct from the pump. At least, with many cars running on compressed air, less fuel will be required as a whole for a nation’s given needs, thus, reducing dependence on imported or domestically generated oil or coal. Imagine this scenario: Wind and Tide generated power providing electricity for an electric grid, and compressed air-powered cars getting juice from these sources!
ED MANALASTAS
I agree with Harabas 2 ,this car will still use electricity to compress the air.
vince
Electric cars are attractive even if the electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels because AFAIK electric power plants are more efficient than car engines and watt per watt, electricit is cheaper. If you use alternative sources of power to create electricity, then its even better.
The problem is with storing the electricity. Batteries are very inefficient and they need to be replaced every couple of years. Using the electricity to compress air or to generate hydrogen are 2 ways of increasing the efficiency of transferring energy from the plug to the road.
Its all about the ratio of kwh pulled from the wall socket to kilometers traveled
Also, as long as gas stations give away free compressed air, then you have a parasitically free source of power
Raffydo
I agree with Harabas 2. Compressing the air needs energy and right now, fuel is mostly used in generating energy.
Sot Conde
Harabas 2, I agree,
In modern technology, no car manufacturer has ever proven any better alternative than gas or diesel fuel, May be solar energy is closer, for it doesn’t require fuel to produce energy but still its effectiveness has yet to be proven.
gregorio manlangit
Could I have more technical references on this technology and best we must support and adapt this environmentally friendly invention.
Manny
For the Philippines, it is geothermal energy source that we have plenty of. Second only to the U.S., no other country beat the Philippines. I don’t believe anybody who tells me that a car that runs on compressed air would cost $12,000 U.S. dollars. It can be made cheaper than that because there are no complicated mechanism. It is like an air compressor running the turbine of a power tool used by carpenters.
nolet
you should’ve seen this episode of “futurecar” on discovery channel. many different ways of powering a car, including compressed air. the key breakthrough was developing an air compressor that also runs on compressed air. the only challenge that remains is mounting that compressor onto a car, and in theory, it should be able to run indefinitely.
the challenge that faces “green” cars is the consumer demand in terms of creature features. this compressed air car doesn’t have power-adjustable seats, air conditioning, air bags, or any of that. it even has to have a very light carbon-fiber body to get to regular city speeds. it doesn’t even have a windshield. we have yet to develop a green engine that can do all the things that a gas- or diesel-powered engine can.
Nini Aragon
Remember Dingle, the Filipino inventor on the use of water to run cars? Where is he? Did he sell his invention to the German or the Japanese? He is so innovative but government did not support him. Where are you Mr. Dingle?
solar energy
This sound great in theory, but this kind of engine has it disadvantages. It is hard to control, not efficient, and could be dangerous, dou to gas expention, and hit.
The future is still an electric car, that its energy come from large scale production of electricity form the sun power.
Mathieu
For the Philippines, it is geothermal energy source that we have plenty of. Second only to the U.S., no other country beat the Philippines. I don’t believe anybody who tells me that a car that runs on compressed air would cost $12,000 U.S. dollars. It can be made cheaper than that because there are no complicated mechanism. It is like an air compressor running the turbine of a power tool used by carpenters.
StumbleUpon
Great information! Thanks for writing this. It is an honor to participate in the discussion.
backlinks
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Ashish
Great.Catched you by Google Search.
Ashish Jain,
http://www.hmreviews.com
j.dela cruz
nice to know some of you guys appreciate the wonders of technology, particularly, with air cars. but guy negre/tata motors is not alone in that project. here in the philippines, we have able geniuses, the likes of daniel dingel (watercar) and liv quitain (air car). liv quitain’s air car is different as it does not require refilling. your car can have unlimited air supply as its compressor is direct-driven.
jimma
We my need to accept that the key to our energy future may not come from the government or big energy companies, but rather from small research and development companies and individual inventors working on water cars, air powered cars, fuel cells and on board hydrogen fuel generators.
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