World's First Air-Powered Car: Zero Emissions by Next Summer

[SLCPUNK]

By Matt Sullivan

India?s largest automaker is set to start producing the world?s first commercial air-powered vehicle. The Air Car, developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy N?gre for Luxembourg-based MDI, uses compressed air, as opposed to the gas-and-oxygen explosions of internal-combustion models, to push its engine?s pistons. Some 6000 zero-emissions Air Cars are scheduled to hit Indian streets in August of 2008.

Barring any last-minute design changes on the way to production, the Air Car should be surprisingly practical. The $12,700 CityCAT, one of a handful of planned Air Car models, can hit 68 mph and has a range of 125 miles. It will take only a few minutes for the CityCAT to refuel at gas stations equipped with custom air compressor units; MDI says it should cost around $2 to fill the car?s carbon-fiber tanks with 340 liters of air at 4350 psi. Drivers also will be able to plug into the electrical grid and use the car?s built-in compressor to refill the tanks in about 4 hours.

Of course, the Air Car will likely never hit American shores, especially considering its all-glue construction. But that doesn?t mean the major automakers can write it off as a bizarre Indian experiment ? MDI has signed deals to bring its design to 12 more countries, including Germany, Israel and South Africa.

[Bill 213]

The day Exxon, BP, Shell and other oil companies allow that or any type of non-gas powered engine on American shores will be the day I crap a pig out of my ass and it flies away.  Not only would everyone from the Saudi's to the Bush family suffer, but it would probably be declared unpatriotic to drive such an ungodly invention.  Freedom isn't free!  It's our patriotic duty to consume as much gasoline at the higest rate possible.

[SLCPUNK]

I was never stoopid enough to believe I really lived in a democracy....

On topic: Tell me that isn't awesome though.

[Alan]

ugly

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

It's a start.

[freedom78]

ugly

I agree...most vehicles that aren't (primarily) gas powered are all ugly as fuck.  It always makes me wonder...do they WANT these to fail (the answer being yes)?

[CheapJon]

it's a taxi?

[polluxlm]

ugly

I agree...most vehicles that aren't (primarily) gas powered are all ugly as fuck.? It always makes me wonder...do they WANT these to fail (the answer being yes)?

It's simple. You don't hit on the boss' girlfriend at a Hells Angels party. You go for the chubby one on the corner.

[freedom78]

It's simple. You don't hit on the boss' girlfriend at a Hells Angels party. You go for the chubby one on the corner.

Wise words, from a man with a Bill Clinton avatar. 

[freedom78]

Of course, seeing as this is an Indian car, if it can gain major traction in India it could do a great deal to help one of two or three major population/industrialization crises.  In other words, there are 1,000,000,000 Indians.  If they (and the Chinese) start driving like Europeans or, God forbid, Americans, this world is pretty much fucked.

[25]

Not only would everyone from the Saudi's to the Bush family suffer, but it would probably be declared unpatriotic to drive such an ungodly invention.  Freedom isn't free!  It's our patriotic duty to consume as much gasoline at the higest rate possible.

Let them make gas-powered air compressors. With all-plastic parts.

[25]

ugly

I agree...most vehicles that aren't (primarily) gas powered are all ugly as fuck.  It always makes me wonder...do they WANT these to fail (the answer being yes)?

I think it's all about the size, not the looks. These weird little cars tend to come from countries that don't have huge american roads and bad american drivers.

But they do have this;



I think that's from Egypt somewhere. You'll notice that the road has three lanes either side, and the traffic has five.

[SLCPUNK]

Who gives a shit what it looks like....it's a car that runs on fucking compressed AIR!!!!

[25]

Who gives a shit what it looks like....it's a car that runs on fucking compressed AIR!!!!

Exactly. Should be nice and easy to modify into an air-propelled road-rocket too, this 68mph limit seems bogus.

[SLCPUNK]

Who gives a shit what it looks like....it's a car that runs on fucking compressed AIR!!!!

Exactly. Should be nice and easy to modify into an air-propelled road-rocket too, this 68mph limit seems bogus.

It's a start, that's for damn sure.

I'd take a lower speed limit if it means less dependence on the sweet crude. Although by the time (if ever) we see something like this in America, I'm sure the speed limitations wouldn't be an issue ,as it probably would have evolved quite a bit by then.

[25]

I'd take a lower speed limit if it means less dependence on the sweet crude. Although by the time (if ever) we see something like this in America, I'm sure the speed limitations wouldn't be an issue ,as it probably would have evolved quite a bit by then.

You could probably import one. I'm fairly sure the extra cost would be nullified by the fuel savings in a very short time. And you'd make the local news.

[SLCPUNK]

I was going to convert a diesel this summer to biofuel, but don't have the time yet. Never seem to have time.......or a big enough garage for all my projects.

[jabba2]

I was going to convert a diesel this summer to biofuel, but don't have the time yet. Never seem to have time.......or a big enough garage for all my projects.

My dad has a biofuel 2005 Jetta. He gets over 50mpg. I keep trying to convivce him to just run 90% used vegetable oil as the car will start and run with it. Though mpg would probably be in the 35-45mpg range, but it will run.


Ethonal will probably be the new gasoline if they can figure out a way to mass produce it. Has extremely low emissions. But it is hard to make in bulk.

[Prometheus]

canada has tossed about 200MILLION into ethnol research....... Huskey Oil has been mass producing it for an addative for gas for the last few years

SOOOOO give it a few years and we will hook ye yanks up with it

[freedom78]

canada has tossed about 200MILLION into ethnol research....... Huskey Oil has been mass producing it for an addative for gas for the last few years

SOOOOO give it a few years and we will hook ye yanks up with it

I'm afraid not.  By then enough of the ice will have melted, driving the polar bears south, wherein they will feed on the unfortunate Canadians.