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
July 3rd, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Could I have more technical references on this technology and best we must support and adapt this environmentally friendly invention.
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
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.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:57 am
I agree with Harabas 2. Compressing the air needs energy and right now, fuel is mostly used in generating energy.
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:27 am
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
June 27th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I agree with Harabas 2 ,this car will still use electricity to compress the air.