crazy idea
written by smith , February 22, 2008

taking about an hour to fill the air tank would really drive people crazy

Not really
written by Bill , February 22, 2008

It's not like you would have to stand there. How long does it take to charge an EV-1?

...
written by Magnulus , February 22, 2008

I remember back in the day, they talked about gas stations with air compressors would be able to re-fill the air tank in 2-3 minutes. Maybe they hit a speed-bump while developing it.

I guess if they figure that filling issue, they could make some sort of dual-filling station that fills gas and air into two separate inputs at the same time. Would make things very easy for people filling up.

Some time in the future, when I have an actual income other than student loans, I'm getting an Air Car.

Typo
written by EV , February 22, 2008

Well, not if the car gets an effective 106 mpg when traveling above 35 MPG and doesn't use a drop of gas when going slower than that.

I'm pretty sure MPG isn't a unit of speed.

...
written by Steve , February 22, 2008

I too, have read that it should only take about 10 min to fill the air tanks on a compressed air car.

I think the real issues is that the oil companies control the US. I'm sure technical issues exist, but I think if you want cars with advanced technology you have to "pay the fossil fuel tribute" and give them "their" due.

...
written by Steve , February 22, 2008

I live in an apartment building, an old one, like many people.

Any car that requires more than 15 min to reengerize at a "gas station" or requires the installation of home charging equipment is not ready for many people.

Not everyone who regularly uses a car is a suburbanite with their own garage.

...
written by Greg , February 22, 2008

Here in sunny Texas you could easily install a solar panel or two on the roof to power an electric air pump--or at least offset the power needed to fill the air tank. Then you just have the modest gas cost to deal with. My car is used 90% for commuting 45 miles round trip each day. Such a setup would really be economical over the long-run and significantly reduce the carbon footprint. Add a little tax incentive for solar and alt fuel and it would be very enticing. We need to get used to the idea that our future transportation will be fueled my multiple sources and the more of it you can do it at home, the better.

sound
written by James , February 22, 2008

I listened to a video of the air car about 6 months ago and it had an unfortunate sound, like a phut-phut-phut of high pressure air thumping in an engine. I hope they worked that OUT of the design. Also, when filling the air tank only every 800 miles, that hour wait could be combined with a stop at the coffee shop, and a little reading, and not seem like such a big deal. Every 20 days or so..? Probably it can be done much more quickly anyway.

Awesome
written by ND_Guy , February 22, 2008

Man I would buy this car the second it came to the US. Seriously, I bought a $16k gas guzzler a year ago and have been kicking myself every since. I would probably only use the air car for driving to and from work, but then I could sell the stupid Jeep and save a $100 a month.

Compressed air isn't affected by extreme cold is it? The temp drops from -10 F to -40 F for a couple weeks a year where I am from.

Filling the tank?
written by bob , February 22, 2008

Hank, according to an article in ClimateChangeCorp.com http://www.climatechangecorp.c...ntid=5154, owners will have the option of either filling the tank in 3 minutes at a designated compressed air station (at a cost of about $2), or they can fill it themselves at home by plugging it in for about 4 hours and letting the onboard compressor do the work. If that's true, then it would allow for both quick on the road fillups and overnight at home fillups. Now of course the gas stations would have to buy the compressor equipment for this to work - I'm sure its alot more than your normal air hose!

...
written by bob , February 22, 2008

sorry - the link in the comment above is bad - try http://www.climatechangecorp.com/ - its under technology - article is called Tata aids air car launch.

...
written by Magnulus , February 22, 2008

I'm just curious as to whether that website used the old information I've read or if that is actual new news. I do agree with James on that the one hour can seem like a small deal considering the time and money saved on such an amazing mileage and range.

However, I don't agree with James on the sound of the car. I'd take the phut-phut-phut of the air engine over the BWRROOOMMMMMM-BREEEEEE-BRRRAAOOOOWWMMM!!!! of internal combustion ANY day, especially in the big city. If all I heard was a cacophony of phut-phut-phuts during rush-hour (well, that and some shouted cusswords from various aggressive drivers) then I'd be a happy man. Also, I think we should include the aromatic properties of internal combustion and air engines in that equation. *shudders*

...
written by Andicus , February 22, 2008

Compressing air takes a huge amount of energy. A lot of energy is wasted as heat. Some small part of it could be recaptured. Once the battery issue really gets resolved in electric cars, that will be much more straight forward. Ideally you charge your electric car with local pv/wind power evading much energy loss.

...
written by steve , February 22, 2008

I see compressed air cars as ELECTRIC cars with a compressed air tank as a battery. It already solves the problems of conventional electric batteries. You can fill it up it about 10 min on the professional compressors and you can get 100 miles out of it. I would only have to fill my car up once a week. On roadtrips it would not be unreasonable to stop for 15 min every hundred miles.

Compressed air tanks lack the pollutants and other environmental issues of nickel batteries.

They are also incredibly flexible. Any energy source that could run an air compressor can be used. Nothing to embargo

Charge Time
written by Hank , February 22, 2008

The short charge time referenced a few times above is based on the Indian / European version of the car that has a top speed below 70 mph and a range of less than 125 miles.

Figuring that Americans would never go for that en masse, they made the tank bigger to fit more (and more highly compressed) air in. Hence the larger charge time.

If an infrastructure was built up for high-pressure air chargers, I'm sure that the charge time would decrease, possibly into the sub-10-minute range...which would be fantastic. But, right now, building a compressed air infrastructure is not something that gas stations will do on their own. We'll see...if the air car takes off, chances are we can force them into it!

- Hank

Energy Independence Now
written by poetryman69 , February 22, 2008

Energy Independence Now!


No more Oil Wars!


Stop funding the terrorists!


Drill in Anwar.

Build more nuclear power plants

Use More coal.

Use more natural gas


Turn trash into energy


Double the efficiency of windmills and solar cells.



If France can do nuclear power so can we.


If Brazil can do biomass/ethanol power so can we.


If Australia can do LNG power so can we.


Domestically produced energy will end recession and spur the economy.

beautiful
written by lowpressure , February 22, 2008

what i love about air powered cars is that there is no gear box or engine, so it dramatically reduces running costs and extends the life of the vehicle. I figure we spend nearly as much on depreciation and maintenance of a vehicle as we do on fuel, so increasing the life span and running costs as well as fuel costs will make this a remarkably sustainable vehicle.

To me infrastructure side is much simpler than any bio-fuel. There is no fuel transporting costs, any store or parking lot can supply compressed air for little or no cost. Even a power point on parking meters would be easy to set up.

I want one as soon as possible! A vehicle like this will sell millions! Bring it on investors!!! make some money out of this one!!

Dipletro engine
written by James , February 22, 2008

I just came across another engine design that strikes me as much better than the French one. Angelo Dipletro from Australia made an ingenious air engine that is smoother and ultra light and small. Check it out: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq8aZVLpf-c
I think this is better than the old piston style, but I don't know how much power it is capable of producing.
I was a big fan of electric motors, but some of the comments above are getting me interested in air. Why carry around an expensive and heavy set of batteries, when the energy can be converted to compressed air? Also, why not heat the tanks with the new cloths dryer technology mention on this site earlier? If it is really as efficient as the article stated, it would be another improvement to overall efficiency.

...
written by wesley bruce , February 23, 2008

For about two decades several hundred Permaculture graduates including myself have been telling Mr Negre to install a fuelled burner to heat the air. Bill Mollison has been talking about heating compressed air lines for 30 years now. Mr Guy Negre has finally got the point and done a good design. Ideally it needs to be biofueled not gasoline.

The 1 hour refuelling time quoted is correct if you have to fill up the tanks with the petrol stations tyre filler. It wont take long for someone to come up with a light truck loaded with extra tanks of high pressure air, a more powerful compressor and a high voltage or high amperage power cord. Who needs petrol stations when your a cell phone call away from a truck load of high pressure air.

If all else fails a stranded driver could recharge that tank to 10% in a few minutes at the Petrol station crawl home slowly with the air line heater running at full bore. Expect to see an embarrassed driver checking the street directly for the next petrol station.

Mr Negre has designed a high pressure compressor with some storage, a bowser for his cars. They may show up in a park near you. They don't need to be at a petrol station. Particularly if billing is fully electronic and wireless.

Air or Battery Power
written by Frank Turley , February 24, 2008

106 mpg is very very bad news, this cannot be true?, It must do a lot better this otherwise it's not worth it. Can they not use batteries to heat the air?
Otherwise the future must be batteries, we just have to wait until the technology gets a bit cheaper and it going in the right direction now.
Now we have a Tesla sports car for $98,000 which may cost a lot, but its a great start for battery power. Just imagine what the price will be in 3 years for a small 4 seater family battery car from Ford, Toyota, etc..

Cost of Air?
written by Peter Glyman , February 24, 2008

So we'll have barrels of oil, oranges, pork and "Air". Imagine the market for Air. In about 10 years you'll go to fill up your air tank at $4.60 per/min of air.

MDI's past
written by Cannonball , February 25, 2008

I will believe in the air-fueled car the day it will actually be on sale at the shop. I am Italian and Mr. Negre announced, several years ago now, that he would produce the air-fueled car in as much as 6 months. I still remember very well the press conference in which his spokeperson said that in a few months the first vehicles would have been donated to the Vatican. They opened a factory not far from Rome, in Rieti, just to get the funds from EU, and even started recruiting staff, who never worked a single day, and did not get paid (despite being kept on hold). Everything is on the net, you just need to scout for it...
I am looking forward to the actual delivery of the car, I will be among the first customers, but I want to see it working.

Soap Nuts (Soapnuts) - The Environmental
written by Matt Johnson , February 27, 2008

Soap Nuts (Soapnuts) - The Environmental Detergent

Have you ever thought about all the chemicals that we pour down the drain daily? What impact do they have on our environment? What does this mean for our children’s future? How can we minimize the harmful chemicals we use & save the environment at the same time? Soap Nuts are the answer.

What are Soap Nuts?

Soap Nuts are not actually nuts at all, but berries (also known as soap berries) that grow on trees in India & Nepal. They contain high concentrations of saponin, which acts as a natural soap when it comes into contact with water.

What can I use Soap Nuts for?

The most common & easiest use of soap nuts is as a laundry detergent. Just place three or four half-shells of soap nuts in a muslin bag (provided with most soap nuts orders) and throw it in with your laundry instead of regular detergent and you are on your way to becoming environmentally friendly. When using soap nuts in your laundry, you do not even need a rinse cycle, thus preventing gallons of water from unnecessarily going down the drain. If you want to expand your soap nuts into a multi-purpose cleaner, simply boil 100 g of soap nuts in 12 cups (3L) of water for 30 minutes. Fish out the shells, throw them in your compost, & you are left with a highly concentrated, natural, liquid detergent. For more applications, visit http://SoapNuts.Wordpress.com

How does the use of Soap Nuts affect Grey Water?

Soap nuts are antimicrobial. After their detergent goes into the sewer system, it helps break down the grey water into a more usable form. The use of soap nuts actually benefit the environment, rather than hurting it as the harmful chemicals we use do. Because of their unique antimicrobial properties, soap nuts are also used in aid of soil restoration.

What harmful chemicals are found in my regular laundry detergent?

Regular laundry detergents may contain any or all of the following:

Enzymes – Are a skin sensitizer, but may cause dermatitis and allergic reactions
Sodium Hypochlorite – Causes lung irritations, bronchial or respiratory reactions, cardiovascular damage, as well as eye and skin damage.
Nonylphenoxy Ethoxylates – Is an edocrine disruptor, and can cause an activation of cellular estrogen receptors (even at low levels) This is implicated in causes of a rise in breast and prostate cancer, infertility issues, a decline in amphibian populations and the reversal / feminization of birds, fish or reptiles.
Are Soap Nuts Gentle on my skin?

Yes. Soap nuts contain no chemicals, and are therefore non-allergenic. Many people (myself included) who suffered from eczema and other skin irritations have seen their problems diminish after switching to soap nuts as a laundry detergent.

How does my Purchase of Soap Nuts affect India & Nepal?

Your purchase of soap nuts is beneficial to both the economy & environment of India & Nepal. In these two countries, there are many poor people. Because soap nuts are plentiful, they become non-saleable locally. Therefore, soap nut trees become more valuable & marketable as firewood than for the environmentally friendly soap nuts that they grow. When soap nuts are marketed overseas, it employs local residents to harvest them, which in turn, stimulates the economy. At the same time, it makes the trees more valuable living than dead. This helps save our tropical forests.

Soap Nuts are the Environmental Detergent.

The use of soap nuts reduces the use of harmful chemicals, helps in restoring our polluted earth, and saves our tropical forests. Isn’t it time you did your part in painting a greener future for our children?

For more information on soap nuts & pricing visit http://Stores.HotterThanHealth.com

Regeneration
written by Bob Smith , April 16, 2008

Incorporate regeneration in the design and use de-acceleration to run the air motor in reverse acting as an air compressor. Could conceivably almost eliminate the need for friction brakes thereby creating additional savings. Or use friction brakes to produce the heat needed to expand the air thereby increasing the pressure with accompanying increase in *mpg*.

think twice
written by corny , April 19, 2008

compressed air can be compared to nitro gliseren
a tube exploded at a power boiler (2500 psi)it went through the wall of the power house and 250' into a car in the parking lot this doesnt seem that safe to me and to put this technology in a car

I'm in!
written by Tim , April 23, 2008

Would totally buy one of these, ideally with regenerative braking to recharge the reserves.

Doubtful until I see it in action
written by Ben , April 25, 2008

I have a 3 horsepower 10 gallon air compressor.
Takes 3-4 minutes to simply fill it's own tank up to 100 psi. If I'm filling my portable Airtank which is another 10 gallons it takes the better part of 8 minutes to fill them both. Also warnings on most aircompressors state that the warranty will be voided if run on an extension cord since most extension cords won't carry the amps necessary to run the electric motor properly. Seems it will take a lot of electricty to fill up the air tanks on these cars to the pressures I'm reading about. Also the larger Aircompressors like the Auto Shops use typically take 240volt 30amp curcuits. Again a lot of energy..

I can't see these "Air" stations selling air very cheaply since they will have probably as much $$ invested in their systems as a conventional gas staion has in it's underground storage tanks and gas pumps


But the idea of carrying around lightweight airtanks for power sounds much better than heavy batteries.

I guess we will have to wait and see...

...
written by James , April 28, 2008

I agree that this sounds pretty scary in a high impact collision. Contrary to every action film ever made, gasoline tanks almost never explode. As for maintenance, the same is true for electric cars - no rad fluid, engine oil, etc. We have had electric buses and streetcars run for 50 years in our city. So it's not only the oil companies, but the car companies who have a huge vested interest in the internal combustion engines. They typically make most of their money these days on service, not on selling the cars.
Lastly, would it not be possible to make an air/electric hybrid? Might have enough range to go really far...

Author/Show Producer of Food, Home, Heal
written by Jon McClure , May 03, 2008

I moved from Pa. to beautiful Alabama and It's like dieing and going to heaven...Now, we have a new Mercedes, Honda and Hyandai plants and a Toyota engine plant and we soon may have a new V.W. plant to go with our new Air Bus plant and new high quality stainless steel German plant... We are a very "LUCKY" state... Now, I want the one of many "compressed air car" plants to be built soon. Embrace this new technology, it's cheap, non-polluting, safe and we can go 800 miles on a fill-up! Maybe, we will be able to fill-up at stores who want our business while we shop? Maybe, solar recharging or that small engine could recharge the air-compresser? Regardless, let's open our hearts and minds to a blessing from Mr. Tata and his attempts to help us all...

Jon

...
written by Al , May 05, 2008

I am skeptical of this at first glance. Compressed air is typically very expensive. Large low pressure compressors are about 20% efficient at best. The rest is lost to heat. It is interesting it has a rating of 4500 PSI and an on-board compressor that can handle that. If the ratings for range and compressor power are accurate, it looks to be promising. Maybe a cylinder exchange station would help save the time of refilling. I hope that some sort of cheaper energy will become available, or maybe America will stop being scared of nuclear power.

Want it now
written by Donald Fussell , May 09, 2008

I wish the air powered cars was already here in the US. I know I would go out and buy one in a min. This is a great idea, why didnt US auto makers come up with it first. I thought that US had the best technology over the other countries. If I good convert my van to air power I would. Spread the word people maybe our government will listen.

Want it now
written by Donald Fussell , May 09, 2008

I wish the air powered cars was already here in the US. I know I would go out and buy one in a min. This is a great idea, why didnt US auto makers come up with it first. I thought that US had the best technology over the other countries. If I good convert my van to air power I would. Spread the word people maybe our government will listen.

I Love Soap Nuts
written by Soap Nuts , May 09, 2008

Soap nuts work awesome for getting the mildewy smells out of clothes.

...
written by Kevin , May 12, 2008

I think if there were stations where you could swap your air tanks out in a matter of minutes people could make that fill time a non factor. Of course it would take a few years to implement an infrastructor that would make it convinent and efficiant, but the possiblility is definatly there. If you could stop off at fill stations as frequently as you could gas stations now and do a tank swap much like propane tanks, it would not be much of an issue. The problems would be that there would be costs involving the inspections of tanks and setting up stations that could fill the tanks with compressors that have little noise pollution. Size may be a factor of how many tanks a station is able to have ready and how fast they are able to fill them.

f***ing oil companies
written by pissed off!!! , May 15, 2008

What is the point of the "great design of air powered cars" when you have to still fill it with gas? Why can't we just bring the same ones over from other countries? If a motorcycle is safe enough shouldn't the "original" air powered cars should be too!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

BOOM!!!
written by Rick , June 03, 2008

Nice idea... but what if you get in an accident and the air tank breaks? Can you imagine?!? It would be like having a pack of TNT exploding right in front of you!

structural engineer
written by Bryan , June 03, 2008

In response to all the comments about the compressed air exploding, see the information on safety directly from the website:

The Air Car will follow the same safety rules and regulations of all approved cars driven in the Unites States. The car’s tubular body provides increased resistance in the event of a crash. The air tank(s), located under the floor, is carbon fiber with a thermoplastic lining. If damaged upon impact, it cracks and the air simply escapes without any explosion, as there is no metal. Aerospace giant Air Bus industries will manufacture the tanks for MDI.

The Air Car comes equipped with Air Bags and ABS braking.

Soap Nuts as a Laundry Detergent
written by Soap Nuts , June 23, 2008

Ever since the inception of industrial revolution, life has become fast and the developments in the fields of science and technology has made human life simple and more convenient. All the hassles of day to day activities have been taken care by the complex dynamics of technology. Every night we sleep with a dream and the next morning we are out in the market to buy the dream that has already been converted to reality.

But, in spite of this we are bothered, the cause being the technology itself. With all its goods kept on one side, technology also has a cruel face on the other side of the fence. With all its developments if, technology is giving us a hassle free life, it is also giving us a polluted environment to live in. Water, air and even sound are not being spared. The chemicals coming out as the byproducts are harming our environment and are directly and indirectly harming us. It is just that we are not able to realize until we are in danger.

Keeping aside the macro level alerts like global warming, increase in the sea level etc, let us peep into our daily life and see at micro level, the impact of technical developments. Covering every aspect in the discussion to follow may be outside the scope of this article and hence we will try to limit our discussion only to a simple chemical product- the laundry detergent.

A combination of different chemical substances to clean our clothes is what we call laundry detergent. When mixed with water this detergent creates lather and the chemicals penetrate deep inside the clothes to clean the dirt and the harmful microbes present in them. But studies show that long term usage of these detergents can lead to skin troubles, not to mention about the water pollution which disturbs the balance of the aquatic life!

A question arises, is there something to make the earth greener and pollution free? Yes, there is. Most of us are unaware of a natural substance which can substitute this laundry detergent and is 100% natural. The substance is known as Soap Nut and is a fruit of a tree called Sapindus. Native to Nepal, India and some other South Asian countries, this tree requires a warm and tropical environment to grow. The harvesting process of this soap nut is completely natural and does not call for any toxin or chemical involvement.
The Soap Nut consists of a solid and hard outer shell and a small fruit inside it. This outer shell is used for making cleaning products. After the fruit ripens, it falls to the ground from tree. It is then picked up and then dried under the sun and is ready to use. Saponin, a natural substance, is present in the Soap Nut. When the Soap Nut is soaked in water, the Saponins are released. This helps the water to penetrate the fabric and clean it. The Soap Nut is a good replacement of the commercial detergents also because of the fact that it has a natural anti-microbial property which kills the harmful microbes present in the dirt. Because Soap Nuts do not contain any added dyes or chemicals, they do not create very many bubbles or lather but are capable of cleaning clothes as effectively as the commercial laundry detergents.
Natural and harmless, these Soap Nuts can actually help us to take a step ahead in a greener and more natural world. Soap Nuts do not disrespect technology but rather attempt to save the world from a chemical holocaust. Using soap nuts as a laundry detergent is a tribute to nature and the solutions it gives us.

For more information visit http://www.BuySoapNuts.com

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written by frank , June 27, 2008

I want one. 98% of my driving is not more then 25 mile and work is 10 miles round trip. i average maybe 15 mile a day. this car would be prefect for me. sent me one. i'll fill it up @ home over night. just made sure it has a shutoff when the tanks are full