SOLUTIONS
The Compressed Air Technology Car
The highly innovative, zero-emissions Air Car has been developed by French engineer Guy Negre. It uses compressed air technology (CAT). It dispenses with the internal combustion engine that has tied road transport to oil and pollution for a century. The Air Car’s engine works by controlling the movement of 4 two-stage pistons (8 compression/expansion chambers) and a single crankshaft. On board is a 5kW electric moto-alternator that compresses air, recharges the battery and is an electric moderator/brake. The vehicle uses a lightweight aluminium frame and has carbon-fibre tanks to store compressed air. The fuel air can be compressed at home or refilled easily from service stations or other outlets with air compressors.
Negre’s piston-type engine elegantly extracts energy stored in the compressed air to drive the wheels. Generating high pressure is exactly why the internal combustion engine burns hydrocarbon fuel with air. Compressed air at 4350 psi (290 times atmospheric pressure) is like energy stored in a battery that you charge and then draw from later. Compressing air to 290 bar needs a reciprocal compressor and some electrical energy. The car’s tanks can be filled in 3 minutes at a service station (or many other outlets such as shops). Using the on-board compressor, refilling takes 4 hours at home. If an external compressor is powered by renewable electricity, the vehicle will be too. The basic Air Car, designed for urban markets, has a range of 125 miles between fill ups and a top speed of 70 mph. The parent company, MDI, has also produced a larger urban taxi. Their hybrid engine design (CAT + hydrocarbon fuel) increases vehicle range between refuelling to 2000 km.
MDI has licensed manufacturers in various parts of the world including India and Australia. The Air Car enters European and Australian markets in 2008. Not only is the car itself remarkably cheap, but its running costs are 80% less than comparable petrol or diesel powered vehicles. Indeed, this is a breakthrough technology that could change the road transport paradigm completely—eliminating (or radically reducing) carbon emissions from transport, and greatly reducing oil imports.
Check out MDIs website at http://www.theaircar.com
& a video report at http://www.exn.ca/video/?video=exn20050401-aircar.asx