Air Car!!

[Safety Guy]

I read about this a year or two ago. It seemed pretty fantastic back then, and still does:

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/106040/Air-Cars:-A-New-Wind-for-America's-Roads

How does a tank of compressed air get the power to run pistons in an "engine?" I just can't visualize the efficiency to run this thing for more than a few hundred YARDS, let alone 60 MILES.

Even if the car weighs a paltry 800-1000 pounds and only seats two, I still can't envision this.

Okay all you mechanical techies, get to work explaining this to me!

Karl

[FestYboy]

well, if you have say 3 100# tanks each holding 5000 psi of air, and your cyl pressure is only about 400 psi. (1L engine), those tanks will last quite a while. plus you can add a compressor to recharge the tanks while braking (compressor will assist in braking).

[Safety Guy]

Here we go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_car

Gives some info.

Here's a carbon fiber scuba size tank:

http://www.straightshooters.com/pcpitems/carbon88.html

And even more info on the "big picture" to come:

http://www.enn.com/business/article/31309

If it ever comes. Air cars have been promised in the past, but never arrived.

Karl

[CharlieZ]

One more piece of info on compressed air technology from MIT.

http://web.mit.edu/~joncox/www/aircars.html

[FB71]

If it ever comes. Air cars have been promised in the past, but never arrived.

Karl

It's already being built and sold in France

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

[elcamino1]

Nice little car, but not for me!

[CharlieZ]

MDI?

Who would.....?