Author Topic: Air car  (Read 684 times)

pumpster

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Air car
« on: October 30, 2006, 10:54:26 AM »
NICE, France, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- A father and son in France are working on a car that runs on compressed air.

Guy Negre, who has designed aircraft engines and a Formula One race car, has been working on the idea for years. He and his son, Cyril, told CBS News that the car would be non-polluting and extremely cheap to operate, with a cost of about $2 for every 120 miles.

"This is not a toy car," Cyril said. "It's a real car. The other thing is it's a very zero emission car. You won't pollute, there won't be emission and the thing also, you have a very economical car. Max. speed is 55 mph."

The Negres say that after years of setbacks they are close to being able to mass-produce the car at their plant in Nice.

"When you compress the air in the tank, inside of the tank, this is like compressing a spring, and then the tank gives you back the energy of the air when it expands," Cyril said.

http://www.theaircar.com/

Tesla

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Re: Air car
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2006, 05:55:06 PM »
This is a pretty cool idea but from a practical perspective I can't believe anyone would make a car using compressed air cylinders.  If you got into an accident those things could turn into rockets! 

It's also misleading when they say that it is a pollution free car.  It takes energy to compress air and there's a good chance that energy came from a fossil fuel like coal (though in France they get most of their energy from nuclear power). 

pumpster

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Re: Air car
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2006, 06:43:38 PM »
A little less pessimism..

Quote
If you got into an accident those things could turn into rockets! 
Uh, gas is combustible too..

Quote
It's also misleading when they say that it is a pollution free car.  It takes energy to compress air
You have no idea how much is required.


Dan-O

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Re: Air car
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2006, 09:58:37 PM »
I thought this thread was going to be about space cars of the future (like the one seen here):



Or this one:


Bigger Business

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Re: Air car
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2006, 10:06:00 PM »
space cars rule!

Tesla

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Re: Air car
« Reply #5 on: October 31, 2006, 05:09:49 PM »
A little less pessimism..
Uh, gas is combustible too..
You have no idea how much is required.



I'm not trying to be pessimistic, just realistic.  Gas is combustible, but that's not my point.  These gas cylinders are under extremely high pressure.  If they rupture in any kind of accident (not burn) the forces will be enormous due to the pressure equalization.  Trial lawyers would have a field day with these, and rightfully so. 

Besides which, look at the size of these cars.  They look like Power Wheels for god's sake.