Air Powered Vehicle

I know there is a vast majority of people here that hate fuel and oil prices. A few months ago a friend told me about an Indian Air Powered car so I figured I'd share a picture, a link, opinion, and ideas...

link...http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/preview ... pt/4217016

picture...

Opinion...From what I read months ago and what little I have read today, safety appears to be the main concern and reason why it will not be introduced in the USA. My problem with this is the fact that these people that are preventing this air powered vehicle from making it to the streets of the USA are basically saying riding a motorcycle without a helmet is safer.

Idea...Bring the air powered car to the USA. Make laws to support them. Example..."Air Powered Cars cannot be driven on any road with speed limits posted higher than 45 mph."
This thing would be perfect in any city. It would be perfect for the rural family to get to town to pick up a loaf of bread. It would be perfect for me to go the 17 miles in one direction (rural routes) to get to work.

Great IDEA...Bring the air powered car to the USA because for $12500 and $2 average fill up at a service station...I want ONE!!! What the heck...if they are that unsafe....I"LL WEAR A HELMET!!!

An iteresting idea, but I have several reservations..

One that is addressed on the website, is the danger of transporting around a cylinder of air compressed initially to 4000psi.. do you notice the trucks carrying compressed-gas cylinders around?? They carry Oxygen, Argon, Helium, Acetylene[slightly different storage medium], propane and other high pressure gasses.. There are a LOT of DOT safety regs involved in transporting high pressure gasses..

Another issue will the the dangers of filling the tanks, the compressors, hoses, hose connections etc... all very dangerous.

And now the real killer. at least in my mind what kills the whole deal... what is the REAL cost to compress air to 3-4000#?? You need to turn that compressor with some type of motor or engine.. either electric or a fossil fuel burning engine..

So every time you convert from one form of power, to another there are losses because the conversion is not 100% efficient... I used to to a lot of metal fabrication.. I love air powered drills, hammers, chisels, and high speed cut-off tools and grinders.... BUT.. my electric bill was astronomical.. I even though to try a different 'higher efficiency' air compressor... but the answer was to go back to electric drill motors, electric grinders, and use electricity directly as much as possible, instead of using the electricity converted to air, converted to motion for the tools..

So unless you get your electricity and therefore your pumping power for very cheap,, the actuall cost to fill and use these vehicles may be higher than anticipated...

HOWEVER:: for a municipal fleet, or a factory, or in a city with very cheap power,,, this iooks like a really neat idea !!!

Greg L

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LsFarm wrote: .... So every time you convert from one form of power, to another there are losses because the conversion is not 100% efficient...

Your comment above, brought to mind a water pump system, which used to be employed, where I grew up, however I never saw it work. My father described it to me. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_ram I still don't totally understand it, but will do some more research ..... someday.

I know several people who could make one of these run at top speed without the cylinder of compressed air. Probably most politicians could too.

beemerboy wrote:I know several people who could make one of these run at top speed without the cylinder of compressed air. Probably most politicians could too.

I can see Al Gore at Bonneville now.