(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.

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

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

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.