Sep 12th 2008 By Jeremy Taylor

Super Fuel-Efficient Car to Run on Air

(Our happy hour fact to amaze your drinking buddies with.)

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

Tags: air - air powered - AirPowered - car - clean energy - clean energy fuels - CleanEnergy - CleanEnergyFuels - fuel efficiency - fuel efficient - FuelEfficiency - FuelEfficient

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Monday 15 September

By Heather

Neutral

http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Tom_Ogle's_Vapor_Fuel_System

100MPG cars were in the 70's. They just bumped off the guy who was making it a reality. Notice his technology was "never developed". We have been living under the slavery of oil BECAUSE of oil companies. No doubt in my mind he was bumped off.

Monday 15 September

By I'm No Engineer, But...

Neutral

Let's see: the car is powered by compressed air. The air is being compressed by an on-board compressor. The air is also being heated by an "external" engine. Where is this so-called "external" engine - sitting on the roof? And what does it run on - compressed air? Also: Is the compressed air also powering the on-board compressor? IS THIS ONE OF THOSE FANTASTIC PERPETUAL MOTION MACHINES? Omigod!

Monday 15 September

By Crystal

Neutral

At least someone is trying to come up with a solution to our economic problems. Granted anything new that comes out is going to have it's problems, just as gasoline cars had problems when they first came out. In my opinion tho I think technology is the downfall of this country. Everyone keeps talking about the fuel that cars use , but what about the fuel that is used in nonsense ways. For one do we really nedd 4000 planes running everyday? Do we really need to send all these rockets and shuttles into outter space? They have been doing it for years and have not really accomplished anything to benefit us. What about all the 18 wheelers that trek across country why not start back up the trains to haul stuff from one side of the country to another. These also would be ways to save on our energy supplies. Personally I think instead of taking a step forward in technology we need to take a few steps back.

Monday 15 September

By Mar Y

Neutral

So glad to see thinking outside the box. Now keep it up. I'm sure there are other ideas one can work up. We have so many scientists, techs, etc. to come up with ideas. Look up in the sky,there's the hubble, space station, we've done so much, now let's finally free ourselves from fossel fuel. I'm sure the government,(who use to be us)will try to find a wrench to throw in and a way to gain from any new idea, but hey, maybe one day we will have a president for us.

Monday 15 September

By Mac

Neutral

There is one tenth of the energy in a gallon of psi 4500 compressed air than there is in a gallon of regular gasoline. Regular gasoline is ten times as powerful as compressed air. Air cars are perpetually in the future. Check the French Air car- MDI. Always later, tomorrow, next year, forever delayed.

Monday 15 September

By Mac

Neutral

Monday 15 September

By EMILY

Neutral

Just like the Indian Air Car that cannot be sold in America as it gets 100 mpg, so does the Ford that is only sold in Europe that gets 65mpg....

Saturday 27 September

By rick hernandez

Neutral

Compressed AIR?!.....so if you put your hand over the muffler will it make fart sounds?

Monday 15 September

By Lacey Robbins

Neutral

Everyone should get each congressman and senators
e-mail address (for every state) and forward this article to them. Put pressure on them to get the country to change directions, cause they're finally listening like never before in history. Show the oil cartel we don't need them anymore.

Monday 15 September

By susan

Neutral

If the time comes to buy a car that does run on air I am all in. However with a oil induced coma in charge of our lives we will be slow to change and do you all realy think the powers that be will even encourage us to change? why would they when they all are still getting rich from oil profits.we all know we need to come up with a bio fuel that is NOT made from corn or any other thing we actually eat. if we do this then we can sell it to other countries for profit.

Monday 15 September

By L

Neutral

Indian already has a car running on compressed air. The U.S. didn't like the safety standards. But has anyone watched "what happened to the ELECTRIC car" WE had a car in the U.S that did not use gas. The owners loved the car. But the government took them away and crushed them. Unfortunately we let the oil companies run the U.S. They wanted them gone knowing more people would buy them. We need to stand up to the oil companies, they are running our country

Saturday 20 September

By shipfixr

Neutral

I think the car also has a small gasoline engine that runs an air compressor and also serves to heat the compressed air. I have no idea if the engine is used solely for the compressor but, even at that, it would be a pretty high MPG. The compressed air would have to be at a pretty high pressure and, has someone mentioned, air at that high a pressure can be dangerous.

Monday 15 September

By cepna

Neutral

I have been riding for the las fifity years on my own vehicle, run by hot air and methane gas.
never use any other fuel, just mexican beans mixed with Corona beer. try it. you have to have a exaust system connected to the carburator and plenty ventilation and a gas mask, Watch out for the Cops. you might get a ticket for polluting the air.

Monday 15 September

By wes

Neutral

So here's how it works: The car they're talking about has three large tanks in the floor that hold air pressurized to about 4,500 psi. The tanks are absolutely safe. There is no danger of their exploding because they're made of carbon fiber, which is very strong. If a fault did ever develop in the tank the carbon fibers would simply split apart, resulting in a slower release of the air without an explosion. The small onboard gasoline powered compressor does not power the engine, it repressurizes the tanks. This gives the car the ability to go hundreds of miles on a couple gallons of gas. It can do that because the car has an extremely lightweight aluminum frame covered by a composite shell (body). This was for the original two-seater. The new model with more seats that they're talking about producing in New York is larger and heavier, thus it will be far less efficient. The engine is very similar to the ICEs we use here, except that every downstroke of the piston is a power stroke rather than having the cycles of intake, compression, power, and exhaust. As the piston nears TDC on each cycle, the air car's intake valve opens and injects air under high pressure into the cylinder. This pushes the piston down in a power stroke. As the piston then cycles back up, the exhaust valve opens and allows the air to be pushed out of the cylinder by the piston as it rises. Near TDC the exhaust valve closes and more air is injected causing another power stroke. It's sort of like a two-stroke ICE, only not. There's only one problem with the car. It's not being made here. We've had the technology to build them for decades.

Monday 15 September

By dre

Neutral

Recently the AOL News had an article about India producing a car than ran on air. It cost $2.00 to fill it up,and would do 68 MPH for approximitly 125 miles. If India can do it, we sure as heck should be able to!

Reply

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Monday 15 September
By wlparadise

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.

Reply

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i think you both are incorrect
the tesla is an electric car that goes 125 mile and reaches 125, cost is 108k.
the india compressed air car can only go 25 or 30 mph and meets no safety standards and will not travel more than 40 miles, and is a totally different technology, cost in rupees = 2500 dollars, if i remember correctly. it is not motorized , but rather is propelled by compressed air pressure turning components
Monday 15 September
By CHRISTOPHER

Tuesday 16 September

By Idiots are still idiots

Neutral

Monday 15 September
By LesNeutral
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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.

Reply
Umm no the car is not in Production yet and it is not gonna make a 2008 release.In fact they only show on the website the standard gas powered car that the it is based on,Fact is its put together with fiber and glue and would never survive any kind of Standards in the US or most of Europe.India is the only place that it can be driven on in it's current conception.It is still a concept car by the way.Aso the prices aren't anywheres near what they claimed yet even for the gas powered verion that they were supposed to come out with under 10K but it is selling for a good $4K more then they claimed..Maybe another year or so they wil have it out in Production and in the price range they claimed but it stil wil have to be totally revamped to run in Europe et alone the US and then how do you expect California to let it in as they are the worst in Regulations.California the land of the BE FREE lol but everything is so freaking regulated you an't do anything and noone for some reason complains,but then they blame the Gov'ment..LOL You TOOLS You freeking idiots that are saying boohoo the US won't let us get them here need to stop your lying and learn your facts before you spout off.

Tuesday 16 September

By kristyl

Neutral

I am concerned about safety of these small vehicles. I just saw two small fuel efficient cars folded up in Hollywood the other day. Dead passenger and drivers! Is this the price we pay for fuel economy? Thanks Bush and all you rich bastards in government! I drive a Lincoln Town Car at 22 mpg. Not worth my trading in a paid, older vehicle to save Mpg. So, at least I feel safer, along with broke...and besides, mosts of these smaller vehicles aren't getting all that better gas mileage yet anyway. PS, I had to choke when Obama said equal pay for an equal day's work. Does this mean he is going to work for minimum wage, or are we all going to make over a hundred grand a year? Which is it? What a pipe dream for hurting Americans. More politicians outright LYING. Life sucks right now for most people.