AIR CAR. Motors run on compressed air.

[rvanengen]

Originally Posted by mrmad

Whether it's running an aircompressor or not, ultimately, it is propelling the car, and I don't think there's enough calories in 3 gallons of gas to move a car 6555 miles. Compressed air may be an efficient way of moving a car, I just find it a little hard to believe it's that efficient.

How many calories does it take to move this car? Looks like we have about 99,000,000 calories total available in those 3 gallons...now...if we take the more pessimistic value and use 30 gallons...then we have 999,000,000 calories. Now, if it is supposed to take 100,000 calories to jog a mile...we can jog about 10,000 miles for the same energy (at 100% efficiency).

Still seems WAAYYY too efficient, eh? Wonder what is not really being told in the press releases??

[omgwtfbyobbq]

When they say a tank of gas they literally mean a (X gallon?) tank of gas iirc. It's used directly by the engine in the same way most engines use gas. The 125 mile range is assuming something like a 20mph average speed, so nothing but dense city (citicat!). Efficiency in the city is less than that of the average electric, but better than the average gasser. Unlike an electric, it doesn't need periodic batt replacement, so it's probably cheaper to operate over it's lifetime so long as electricity stays on the cheap side and operation is mostly urban.

[mrmad]

At some point, some idiot will try to kill himself with a garden hose attached his compressed air car.

[Bill in Houston]

Originally Posted by RickyD

ummmmm errrrrrrrr ummmmmmmm

how so. The producers of this engine claim LA to NY on ONE tank of gas, supposidly to run the generator..

I dont know how anything can be more efficent then that.

okay, 30 gallons of fuel, 2400 miles, 80 mpg, I guess it could work in the right conditions. I take it back.

[rvanengen]

Well...got some more answers (yes...getting slow at work now).

From: http://www.theaircar.com/thecar.html

The single energy engines will be available in both Minicats and Citycats. These engines have been conceived for city use, where the maximum speed is 50 km/h and where MDI believes polluting will soon be prohibited. It is already possible see examples of this in some places, such as London, where you want to enter the city center with gasoline powered vehicles, you must pay a fee.

The duel energy engine, on the other hand, has been conceived as much for the city as the open road and will be available in all MDI vehicles. The engines will work exclusively with compressed air while it is running under 50 km/h in urban areas. But when the car is used outside urban areas at speeds over 50 km/h, the engines will switch to fuel mode. The engine will be able to use gasoline, gas oil, bio diesel, gas, liquidized gas, ecological fuel, alcohol, etc.

Both engines will be available with 2, 4 and 6 cylinders, When the air tanks are empty the driver will be able to switch to fuel mode, thanks to the car's on board computer.

I don't see any quotes on "high speed" fuel economy, but I will guess that it will be more in line with a conventional vehicle once it runs out of compressed air.