A New York-based company plans to produce a car that runs on compressed air and gets up to 106 miles per gallon.The car's engine would work like a locomotive, but instead of steam, compressed air would move the pistons. When the car hits 35 mph a fuel-powered external combustion system kicks in and heats the air, further increasing its volume.
While experts agree that it's possible to run a small vehicle on compressed air, many are skeptical about whether this system would work for a full-size car. Nevertheless, Zero Pollution Motors is pledging to build the first models in 2010, and sell them for around $18,000.
At first the air would be free, and pumped into the tanks using an on-board compressor. But we're sure someone will eventually figure out how to charge for the air. If you doubt this, take a look at that bottle of water you're drinking.
We just hope they make the air car with enough safety precautions to allow you to survive crashes like this ...
Epic Vehicle Crashes
"Ice Road Truckers" would be our favorite show if this happened at some point in every episode.
WreckedExotics.com
This is why you never want bay windows when you live around the corner from the local pub.
car-accidents.com
Here's a brand new $100K Tesla Roadster on its virgin drive. That's one way to break it in.
Picvi.com
The driver of this (former) RV didn't bother to read the clearance sign before the tunnel. That decision may impact the resale value.
WreckedExotics.com
Here's one of those wrecks where you wish your car was equipped with a ladder, rather than airbags.
WreckedExotics.com
This trucker got one too many speeding tickets.
Truckersoffice.net
Finally, Tacos Jalisco got the drive-through they always wanted.
WreckedExotics.com
Creative parking. You could fit a Mini Cooper and two Smart cars in that extra space.
autocult.com.au
The founder of the game console Gizmondo drove his $1 million Ferrari into a telephone pole while going 162 MPH on the Pacific Coast Highway. He walked away, though we're guessing he shed a tear or two in process.
LA Times
Listen up, drug dealers -- when you're waiting for the importer to bring in your shipment, don't park right on the airstrip.
Seeitornot.com
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Monday 15 September
By SMRTNUP
UHHH, . . SCUSE ME, . . CAN I GET TEN GALLONS OF AIR, . . UHHH, . . HOW MUCH IS IT ANYWAY ? ? ? . . . $5.00 A GALLON ??? . . . SHOULDA STUCK WITH THE FUEL BURNER ! ! ! . . .
QUESTION: . . SHOULDN'T I GET PAID FOR " N O T " BURNING UP AIR WITH CHOKING EMMISSIONS ? ? ? . . YEAH, RIGHT. . THAT'LL BE THE DAY !!! . . .
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Monday 15 September
By Leeann Collver
The only emission from an air car is steam.
Monday 15 September
By Gary
If you go on youtube you can see an operational prototype being used as a taxi in France. Also,the planned vehicle for the U.S. will be a six sat mini-van.You can see the layout of the mini-van at Zero Pollution Motors' website. Do not bet on a 2010 release in the U.S. of this vehicle.
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Monday 15 September
By Les
As a matter of fact, India has already come out with a car that runs on compressed air. Was to be released at the end of 2008 and cost under $10,000. But, the U.S. won't let them sell to us.
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Monday 15 September
By Erick
Yeah, they haven't bled us dry yet, still fossil fuel left.
Monday 15 September
By CHRISTOPHER
we as a nation should be bring all types of reuseable fuel now to the consumers while they are there and stop drilling off the coast of our nation..
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Monday 15 September
By Gary
The vehicle in India is the same company in France that is releasing them in the U.S.through Zero Pollution Motors. They just gave the rights in India to India's largest car manufacturer.
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Monday 15 September
By Joe
It would work. I play paintball, which uses the same system to function. However, the air cylinders are under extreme pressure and can explode if not treated with care.
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Monday 15 September
By doc
what?!?! your paintball gun uses a piston engine run by compressed air to hurl paintballs? who built it? rube goldberg?
Monday 15 September
By tdw0
Uhh those pictures at the end... they aren't so much wrecks as they are people getting bored and using photoshop...
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Monday 15 September
By James
Why must we be so upset about everything? How about we just relax and stop being so paranoid and arrogant to change. Greed is only fueling the economic decline here in america. If all greed can be undone. Then, and only then shall we veer off this path of nonsense and hatred. To then move to better peace and understanding. All who wish real change and peace are killed by the greedy and corupt. After all, we are only animals that think we are the best. When in reality, we are not even needed by this earth. Learn to love life and all around you. You don't have to like them. Just respect ones own and all censorship would be void. Try to remember peace. All law is, is aggreement to conpromize. No one single group is correct. Nor any single thing wrong. Just looked opon as such.
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Monday 15 September
By ruben1x1
I so much applaud your comment. Any change might jeopardize those in financial power and so change is always censored by them. Respect for mother earth and it's species is almost non-existent. They believe preservation of the species means locking all creatures up in cages or zoos for the entertainment of humans, lack of respect for our world, it's resources, and for peace is why we are in dire straits even now!
Monday 15 September
By Anon
At the very least, I'm sure governments will find a way to tax you for the compressed air you "use." They will have to institute something to make up for the lesser amount of taxrevenue they will take in from less gas being sold.
Even if this particular vehicle is a flop, because of increasing hybrid use expect to be socked with some sort of local and federal highway or "road use" taxes/fees due to decreased tax revenues. This won't happen overnight, of course, although they may institute some sort of special sales tax when hybrid vehicles reach significant numbers... maybe as soon as hybrids account for 10% of all car sales. Knowing politicians, I am a little surprised it hasn't happened already... a special "hybrid tax" I mean.
This will start out small and be gradual, but like all "taxes/fees" in will inevitably become bigger and bigger. And it will be rationalized with the typical doublethink and pseudo-intellectual mental gymnastics that politicians use to justify more and/or higher taxes.
I also predict this, regardless of which party is in power, the American sheeple behind that party will shallow it... hook, line and sinker.
Reply
Monday 15 September
By Richard Busic
Where does the power (energy) come from to compress the air?
You could use a compressor to act as brakes but this does not give enough power to get the car to 35mph.
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Monday 15 September
By Yvonne
This sounds good to me as long as the onboard compressor could compress enough air to get the car up to speed with concentrating the O2 so much that it becomes explosive. Other than that, hey, I'll buy one.
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Monday 15 September
By jfred
Yez goes down to the local Home Depot and buys yourself an AIR COMPRESSOR, which runs on ELECTRICITY, then yez goes home and fills your car with COMPRESSED AIR from your home-based AIR COMPRESSOR.
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Monday 15 September
By chris
At the top it says:
(Our happy hour fact to amaze your drinking buddies with.)
Hmm... Sure must be some easily amused drinking buddies!
Anyway, Does the name 'Stanley Steamer' ring any bells?
Those run on Kerosine!
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Monday 15 September
By bob wong
Hope you enjoy the car, I will stick with my 30mpg neon.
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Monday 15 September
By monty
SHIZZEL-MY-BEDIZZLE, QUIZZLE
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Monday 15 September
By David
And just how do we get the energy to compress the air? Every stage of energy conversion creates wasted energy (typically, as heat). Converting a fuel to compressed air to run pneumatic motors will waste more energy than converting fuel directly to mechanical action. Don't bet the farm on this one!
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