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Other Alternative Fuels

Posted: Apr 8th, '08, 08:58
by CaptPatrick
Since we have a discussion going on about hydrogen as a fuel source, there is another technologie that is already in semi-production, doesn't use any internal combustion and needs no complex support industry. It doesn't need high tech infrastructure & requires only slight modification to existing resources already in place...

Air Cars & Trucks

The parent company, MDI, has been working on this concept for several years, already has cars on the road in Mexico & India, has set up a US distributor, and seems to be a very viable concept. Next to water, air is the most common natural resource on the planet.

Seems to me that this concept is getting far too little attention...

Br,

Patrick

Posted: Apr 9th, '08, 12:11
by Sean B
I couldn't find anything on that particular site about range and performance of air-powered vehicles. I saw that they have a working electric scooter that has a range of 40-50 kilometers, or 25-30 miles.

I guess it would be all about how much air can you carry.

You would still get the all energy from electricity, and have an air tank instead of a battery to store it in a vehicle. I like the idea, but also wonder if you can carry enough air around to make it practical.

A quick search found this article: http://www.popularmechanics.com/automot ... 17016.html

68 MPH and 125 mile range, not too shabby. But the construction of this one is too shabby for american auto standards (all glue construction?!?)

I found another one here: http://www.popularmechanics.com/automot ... 51491.html

I had no idea this was already being done. This was an impressive claim:
“I want to stress that these are estimates, and that we’ll know soon more precisely from our engineers,” ZPM spokesman Kevin Haydon told PM, “but a vehicle with one tank of air and, say, 8 gal. of either conventional petrol, ethanol or biofuel could hit between 800 and 1000 miles.”
Here is a video about the french one: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/science ... -video.htm

The damn things sure are ugly though. Who (besides a Frenchman) would think that they will look cool driving aroung in this:
Image

Posted: Apr 9th, '08, 12:50
by Rawleigh
Don't forget to wear your Beanie, Sean!! It's sooo cute!! Now if they could just put that into a pickup truck . . .

Posted: Apr 9th, '08, 13:17
by Sean B
Oh yes, definitely need the beanie. Along with a pencil-thin mustache, and maybe be smoking a cigarette held in one of those old-style metal things, wearing a leisure suit.

Ooo la la, look at me - I'm a cool French guy in an aircar