COMPRESSED AIR—THE NEXT ALTERNATIVE FUEL?

Guy Nègre of the United Kingdom has invented a zero-pollution vehicle. It involves no combustion, and it costs roughly $2 to run for 124 miles. It can reach a top speed of 68 mph and can be recharged in two minutes. And most surprisingly, it runs on compressed air.

The Air Car was developed by Moteur Development International (MDI) founded in Luxembourg. The vehicle was developed over a 10-year time span and the technology is protected by more than 30 international patents. It stores 90 m3 of compressed air in fiber tanks. The expansion of air pushes the pistons and creates movement. Atmospheric temperature is used to re-heat the engine and increase road coverage. The expelled cold air is then used for the air-conditioning system. Because there is no combustion, an oil change is necessary only every 31,000 miles. The Air Car can be refilled at a service station in two to three minutes, or it can be connected to an electrical network (220 V or 380 V) for a re-charging time of three to four hours.

Four different models of the Air Car have been made so far: a car, taxi, pickup and van. The final selling price for the vehicle will be approximately $11,000.

Source: “Air Car for the UK Market” See MDI website http://www.theaircar.com/