World's first air-powered car introduced
06-01-07, 08:52 AM
#1
Speaks French in Russian
Thread Starter
World's first air-powered car introduced
Videos at the link... http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/659/
By the year 2020, Toyota plans to have a hybrid power source in every vehicle they make, but even the folks from Aichi, Japan don't have anything that runs on air. MDI's CityCAT doesn't have a mast, and it's not some far-off, far-fetched idea. As a matter of fact, it's getting ready for production right now. French company MDI engineered this vehicle with ex-Formula One engineer Guy Nègre, and they're leaving production duties up to India's Tata Motors.
The first product, the CityCAT, reaches a top speed of 68mph and can go about 125 miles without refilling the carbon fiber compressed air chambers. The CityCAT's made of lightweight, glued-together fiberglass and foam, and the engine is made up almost entirely of aluminum. The air tanks hold 52 gallons of compressed air at 4,351psi, and refueling can take only three minutes at your local gas station. You can also plug in the vehicle for about four hours, so the on-board compressor can fill the tanks at a cost of about $2. Initial plans call for Tata Motors to produce about 6,000 of these air-powered transportation devices for the India market, but 12 other countries including Germany, Isreal, and South Africa have signed deals with MDI to buy their own air-cars.
The CityCAT has almost no chance of ever gracing the streets of the good 'ol USA, mostly because of the obvious crash-test issues that come from a car that's made of fiberglass and foam. As is typically the case with green cars, more information is available on Autoblog Green. Hit the jump to see a couple of very informative videos on how the CityCAT runs on good old-fashioned air. Check out the sound of these little babies in motion, as they sound like a giant compressor.
The first product, the CityCAT, reaches a top speed of 68mph and can go about 125 miles without refilling the carbon fiber compressed air chambers. The CityCAT's made of lightweight, glued-together fiberglass and foam, and the engine is made up almost entirely of aluminum. The air tanks hold 52 gallons of compressed air at 4,351psi, and refueling can take only three minutes at your local gas station. You can also plug in the vehicle for about four hours, so the on-board compressor can fill the tanks at a cost of about $2. Initial plans call for Tata Motors to produce about 6,000 of these air-powered transportation devices for the India market, but 12 other countries including Germany, Isreal, and South Africa have signed deals with MDI to buy their own air-cars.
The CityCAT has almost no chance of ever gracing the streets of the good 'ol USA, mostly because of the obvious crash-test issues that come from a car that's made of fiberglass and foam. As is typically the case with green cars, more information is available on Autoblog Green. Hit the jump to see a couple of very informative videos on how the CityCAT runs on good old-fashioned air. Check out the sound of these little babies in motion, as they sound like a giant compressor.
06-01-07, 12:58 PM
#3
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Air is the only power resource that is totally "green". Even water wouldn't be a good source because it would waste our fresh water supply. So this would be a great idea to further develop.
So why do all these other countries don't care about safety?? They let everything go without any standards of safety. It's amazing.
I always see these pics of 3rd world countries with 75 passengers clinging onto the outside of a 20 passenger vehicle. It's crazy. They aren't afraid to die I guess.
The CityCAT has almost no chance of ever gracing the streets of the good 'ol USA, mostly because of the obvious crash-test issues that come from a car that's made of fiberglass and foam.
I always see these pics of 3rd world countries with 75 passengers clinging onto the outside of a 20 passenger vehicle. It's crazy. They aren't afraid to die I guess.
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06-02-07, 01:29 PM
#8
So why do all these other countries don't care about safety?? They let everything go without any standards of safety. It's amazing.
I always see these pics of 3rd world countries with 75 passengers clinging onto the outside of a 20 passenger vehicle. It's crazy. They aren't afraid to die I guess.
people in the us arent afraid to die, we are just too damn sue happy! i freggin hate it! everyone is lookin for a quick buck and they dont care how they get it even if they are gonna be raping someone else for it. it sucks
06-03-07, 07:07 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
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03-07-08, 04:34 AM
#10
Lexus Champion
2 dollars to fill it up for 90 miles...
...I'm there, not as sharp looking as a Genesis though
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/08/c...ion-this-year/
Guy Negre's compressed air vision has crossed our desks before. The vehicle, which uses a motor powered by 4,000 psi of compressed air stored in carbon fiber tanks, will actually start production in India soon – after 15 years in development – thanks to some help from India's biggest automaker, Tata,...
...I'm there, not as sharp looking as a Genesis though
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/08/c...ion-this-year/
Guy Negre's compressed air vision has crossed our desks before. The vehicle, which uses a motor powered by 4,000 psi of compressed air stored in carbon fiber tanks, will actually start production in India soon – after 15 years in development – thanks to some help from India's biggest automaker, Tata,...
03-07-08, 05:03 AM
#11
Out of Warranty
Interesting if totally impractical. Aside from the obvious crash issues with the passengers, what becomes of those CF tanks pressurized to 4300 psi when the CityCAT is T-boned?
As with any other "exotic" powerplant, compressed air only adds another layer of inefficiency to the energy conversion process. Somewhere there has to be a big compressor that is driven by an energy source, be it fossil fuels or electric (wind, water, nuclear, etc.), whose ultimate energy comes from something not nearly so green. These "solutions" solve nothing, but only displace the problem. Somewhere up the energy chain, is a smokestack. Every time that energy is converted, there are considerable losses (nuclear - electric - compressor - air motor), meaning inordinate amounts of that source power are being consumed just to push a van with a driver and a handful of passengers.
We need to focus on clean, DIRECT energy conversion like super-efficient diesels and hybrids for practical solutions.
As with any other "exotic" powerplant, compressed air only adds another layer of inefficiency to the energy conversion process. Somewhere there has to be a big compressor that is driven by an energy source, be it fossil fuels or electric (wind, water, nuclear, etc.), whose ultimate energy comes from something not nearly so green. These "solutions" solve nothing, but only displace the problem. Somewhere up the energy chain, is a smokestack. Every time that energy is converted, there are considerable losses (nuclear - electric - compressor - air motor), meaning inordinate amounts of that source power are being consumed just to push a van with a driver and a handful of passengers.
We need to focus on clean, DIRECT energy conversion like super-efficient diesels and hybrids for practical solutions.
03-07-08, 06:46 AM
#13
Lexus Champion
They claim 2 bucks to fill it up and net 90 miles, that is at least a great return for a consumer with today's oil prices and the byproduct of running them is not polluting as to exhaust.
03-07-08, 08:04 AM
#14
As far as exaust, its another load of crap. Yeah, the car itself may not be polutting, but the compressor that fill is uses electricity, which in turn is generated by burning coal or oil.
03-07-08, 08:17 AM
#15
There can only be One
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QmqpGZv0YT4
This is really old.
I saw this back in like 2005 I think it was, on Beyond Tomorrow.
That thing is CRAZY loud though. And it only gets that many MPG because it strips safety features and its REALLY small and light. Good luck getting passengers in though.
Watch the video and notice how he says "the key is to keep the car light weight" So that you can over inflate its actual production.
The Australian dude in the video has the right idea for its use though.
This is really old.
I saw this back in like 2005 I think it was, on Beyond Tomorrow.
That thing is CRAZY loud though. And it only gets that many MPG because it strips safety features and its REALLY small and light. Good luck getting passengers in though.
Watch the video and notice how he says "the key is to keep the car light weight" So that you can over inflate its actual production.
The Australian dude in the video has the right idea for its use though.