Gaming World Forums
General Category => General Talk => Topic started by: Ryan on August 08, 2008, 09:18:18 pm
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http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/08/08/air.car/index.html
(CNN) -- You've heard of hybrids, electric cars and vehicles that can run on vegetable oil. But of all the contenders in the quest to produce the ultimate fuel-efficient car, this could be the first one to let you say, "fill it up with air."
That's the idea behind the compressed air car, which backers say could achieve a fuel economy of 106 miles per gallon.
Plenty of skepticism exists, but with many Americans trying to escape sticker shock at the gas pump, the concept is generating buzz.
The technology has been the focus of MDI, a European company founded in 1991 by a French inventor and former race car engineer.
New York-based Zero Pollution Motors is the first firm to obtain a license from MDI to produce the cars in the United States, pledging to deliver the first models in 2010 at a price tag of less than $18,000.
this is neat shit. a 106mpg car for less than $18,000 solves one of the biggest problems with hybrid, fuel efficient cars: the price.
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I hope it actually gets production. That will be so badass. Then I will get a car.
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my bicycle runs on food and air and water and mojo AND i still have the option of polluting because i can stop whenever i want and take a dump
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Well I will help this along by moving some of my investments to this Zero Pollution Motors. Anyone who wants to join me, go here (http://zeropollutionmotors.us/?page_id=19).
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Jesus... what if this car got in a collision with a full tank of compressed air and fuel :|
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Note that if you get into an accident with this, you're probably dead. The chassis is glued together and made of fiberglass and foam... And aluminum rods. I'm all for light-weight, but this thing is basically a giant coffin from what I gather. Would be nice if it were moderately safer, because this kind of fuel economy would be awesome.
--Terin
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Note that if you get into an accident with this, you're probably dead. The chassis is glued together and made of fiberglass and foam... And aluminum rods. I'm all for light-weight, but this thing is basically a giant coffin from what I gather. Would be nice if it were moderately safer, because this kind of fuel economy would be awesome.
--Terin
Last I heard, they developed some kind of container for the compressed air that tears or splits rather than shatters. So there would be a rapid exodus of air, but I don't think it would be that harmful. I don't know enough about it, but if this is the case, it should be pretty safe.
EDIT: Okay, I reread that, and I see what you mean. I'm sure this car wouldn't be allowed to be sold in the U.S. unless it passed safety regulations.
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You know I hear that petroleum stuff is kind of dangerous
I am pretty sure they are going to figure out a way to make sure you aren't driving an explosion on wheels, they aren't fucking retarded! "Hey, this car gets 106mpg but there is 90% chance of you dying if you bump into a large bug" "GREAT START MASS PRODUCTION"
This firm probably has several dozen doctors of magic and science or whatever and they will do their best to ensure all their customers don't die of burning and/or shrapnel inhalation.
P.S. This is pretty exciting due to the fact that I am not too cheap to buy a car but I am way too cheap to pay for gas!
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You guys do know that petrol/GAYSOLINE is pretty explosive and you've plonked you buttocks above a tank of that for many a year!
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this is so unpractical, i hear it'd weigh under a tonne. i'll stick with my bulletproof hummer
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Jesus... what if this car got in a collision with a full tank of compressed air and fuel :|
Anyone know what kind of PSI the tanks are going to be at? Medical o2 tanks often sit a 2000psi. Dropping them can put them through a brick wall.
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my bicycle runs on food and air and water and mojo AND i still have the option of polluting because i can stop whenever i want and take a dump
poop ain't pollution, just aesthetically displeasing
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Anyone know what kind of PSI the tanks are going to be at? Medical o2 tanks often sit a 2000psi. Dropping them can put them through a brick wall.
Regardless it will most likely result in the invention of the flying car, so I say let nature take its course... as GirlBones intends to do...
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poop ain't pollution, just aesthetically displeasing
isn't the reason Mexico's water is so polluted because the locals keep pooping in the river
(or so is my assumption about the situation)
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The Air Car will follow the same safety rules and regulations of all approved cars driven in the Unites States. The car’s tubular body provides increased resistance in the event of a crash. The air tank(s), located under the floor, is carbon fiber with a thermoplastic lining. If damaged upon impact, it cracks and the air simply escapes without any explosion, as there is no metal.
From the official site.
Anyway this sounds pretty exciting!
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The really amazing thing about this car is that it doesn't consume fuel if you're traveling below 35mph. Use this car just to drive around town and you'll never need to stop at a gas station again.
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The really amazing thing about this car is that it doesn't consume fuel if you're traveling below 35mph. Use this car just to drive around town and you'll never need to stop at a gas station again.
erm what no not at all.
It consumes fuel if you are traveling below 35mph, the compressed air is the fuel.
The thing is, it needs petroleum to travel above 35mph.
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That is pretty obviously what he meant! Fossil fuel. Air isn't fuel! Well, it is here. But a lot of gas stations still have free air pumps (a lot don't, because they are jerks, but whatever!).
I foresee powerful private air compressors for sale for cheap in the near future.
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I was under the impression that it would use the energy available from the resistance of a fast-moving car against wind to compress air and save that up for use when the vehicle is travelling at low speeds and that it would still burn gas at low speeds when it ran out of air.
I don't know maybe I am stupid.
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Cars will never stop using fossil fuels here in the US. The bigshots need our income in their pockets.
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That is pretty obviously what he meant! Fossil fuel. Air isn't fuel! Well, it is here. But a lot of gas stations still have free air pumps (a lot don't, because they are jerks, but whatever!).
I foresee powerful private air compressors for sale for cheap in the near future.
Air is fuel. :<
Just cause it's easily accessible doesn't mean it isn't.
Didn't mean to criticize him anyways.
I think it's pretty incredible they can have these out by as soon as 2010. Usually they say something like "IN THE FUTURE/EVENTUALLY".
Edit: Solar powered/Air powered hybrid would be so kickass.
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I hope the cars wont suck up all of our oxygen...... heh
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So it's a pneumatic car, at least under 35 mph. It's no zero pollution car, since it has to use a secondary fuel to heat the hair for higher range and speed. Additionally, compressing the air uses energy obviously.
But pretty damn awesome! Especially if it's cheap. Imagine if cars like this could be sold in China and India and similar countries that will be needing LOTS of transport in the future.
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eh, no. Gas companies won't stand for it! ='O
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my bicycle runs on food and air and water and mojo AND i still have the option of polluting because i can stop whenever i want and take a dump
You know, bicycles really should be encouraged and helped along. A lot of cities need more bicycle trails. Perhaps its time to get active and talk to my local bicycle shops back home.
eh, no. Gas companies won't stand for it! ='O
Oh, gas companies wouldn't. They're probably the only ones capable of investing enough into the project to own 90% of the results.
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Yeah, no way I'm driving that here. That thing would get stuck in snow like nothing.
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Looks like southern CA just got a little more expensive. :D
At any rate, how safe would this be in terms of collisions? That is an unimaginably small car, and if we crash -- oo. The frame would bust and I can just imagine the compressed oxygen igniting. Crashing at high speeds when you're compressing the gas even more than usual...I can't help but think that that's pretty dangerous. Where is that tank stored?
I wonder if we could put it up top, and have boxish cars (like the Honda Element), that way the tank would be less likely to...y'know, splode.