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Car powered by Compressed Air

ShivaFan

Satyameva Jayate
Premium Member
The more I think about it, the more I like these things.

I could DEFINITELY see myself "air sticking" from my house to the local grocery or open air market. First of all, I could fit four of these probably in my garage. Think about it. They are real space savers, I could convert other areas of my garage into nice shelving and stuff instead of larger vehicle taking space up. I could zip this thing through my side gate into the backyard, cover it up while parked under the awning and then... if I want to spook out some weird person going around the neighborhood I could pop out from my backyard in this thing with my police scanner blasting and smartphone handy to call the police. There is enough room in the back for two bags of veggies.

Imagine going to a zone just for enthusiasts of this stuff, and flying my kite attached to the side!
Seriously, jokes aside, there are a lot of hobby applications for this vehicle. And no doubt racing enthusiasts will start up racing clubs that will drive further improvements. Or let us say, you want to go on a picnic. Put the picnic basket in the back, and zip over the some local park - the ride alone is sort of a theme park ride in some ways, fun and cute!

These cost about $7000, but I see the price dropping. I would want a light blue one, or orange would be cool.
 

columbus

yawn <ignore> yawn
First of all, I could fit four of these probably in my garage. Think about it. They are real space savers, I could convert other areas of my garage into nice shelving and stuff instead of larger vehicle taking space up.
Except that you would also need the air compression system. That would probably take up most of the space and cost as much as one of the golfcart thingies.
Tom
 

columbus

yawn <ignore> yawn
And then there's the day your toy doesn't work.
And you have to FedEx the whole thing to the repair place in Missouri, because nobody closer knows enough about the thing.
Tom
 

columbus

yawn <ignore> yawn
anybody ever hear of the second law of thermodynamics?:eek::rolleyes:
Ha ha!
This reminds me of an episode when I was ~12.
My best friend had found an abandoned grocery cart. He had an alternator from some big old car. We swiped the electric motor from my dads workroom, left over from replacing the furnace.
We set about building a vehicle that we need only give a good push to and it would propel us all over the neighborhood. We thought we'd invented a perpetual motion driven car!
Tom
 

beenherebeforeagain

Rogue Animist
Premium Member
Ha ha!
This reminds me of an episode when I was ~12.
My best friend had found an abandoned grocery cart. He had an alternator from some big old car. We swiped the electric motor from my dads workroom, left over from replacing the furnace.
We set about building a vehicle that we need only give a good push to and it would propel us all over the neighborhood. We thought we'd invented a perpetual motion driven car!
Tom
How in the world did you steer the thing?
 

ShivaFan

Satyameva Jayate
Premium Member
Last year I drove into the parking lot behind a Civic Center that has a nice little park in front. Normally I park outside the parking lot along the edge of the park or in some spots outside the park that are nearby since I prefer parking outside instead of a garage.

Inside the parking lot on the "first floor" (actually a slight downward cline but you can still see the outside world from the entry) I noticed a long row of what turned out to be electric car recharging stations. It was quite impressive actually.

I am assuming that compressed stations will become available for enthusiasts of compressed air. Of course this would take time, but not if they catch on in - for example - retirement communities or business complexes.

I have a friend who has this medium size compressed air tank in his backyard. It looks very clean and actually doesn't take much space and is weatherproof - it is about the size of a very small fridge. He uses it to run some sort of power tools.

So actually, I could see having such a similar compressed air tank in my backyard no problem.

Yes the thing could break down when zooming over to a temple, park, market and such. But a AAA toll would be even easier since they are small. I bet with a good after market "car manual" like they sell in the auto supply shops specific to these vehicles, I could learn to repair the thing myself. I don't think it is too complicated to learn how. That in itself could become a hobby - repairing these things. I foresee entire clubs formed - even magazines - for enthusiasts. This will include maintenance and repair as part of the activities of the enthusiast clubs.
 

ShivaFan

Satyameva Jayate
Premium Member
I just realized there are empty mills and business "sheds"/complexes in West Hartford, Cheshire, North Haven, Shelton, Southport and Warren Connecticut that are perfect - absolutely perfect including mill and parts manufacture - for those who could launch startups Made In America making these carts and vehicles. It's all there, including compressed air tech. Could happen in Connecticut even with the high taxes.
 

columbus

yawn <ignore> yawn
I just realized there are empty mills and business "sheds"/complexes in West Hartford, Cheshire, North Haven, Shelton, Southport and Warren Connecticut that are perfect - absolutely perfect including mill and parts manufacture - for those who could launch startups Made In America making these carts and vehicles. It's all there, including compressed air tech. Could happen in Connecticut even with the high taxes.
But why would anyone do it?
Tom
 

Kilgore Trout

Misanthropic Humanist
I did a 45 minute presentation on alternative fuel vehicles in 2006 and this car made the list then... Like the Human Car, it's going nowhere fast. They are great in concept. But the market simply isn't going to accept them. It's unfortunate, really. The technology already exists for us to move past fossil fuel transportation. We just don't want it.

Where does the energy for running the air compressor come from?
 

Terrywoodenpic

Oldest Heretic
It is easy to transport electricity, we have the infrastructure for it.
transporting compressed or liquid air is exceedingly difficult.
There is no advantage turning electricity into compressed air locally as it is energy inefficient to do so, it is better to use it as it is in electric cars.
I would not care to be in a car that had its liquid air tank punctured in a crash. Sort of quick frozen chopped fresh meat.
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
First thought: a rolling, bouncing (14 sec mark) coffin (essentially no crash protection, and sitting on top of a canister of highly compressed air would be highly disconcerting ).

Relevant facts from video and conversions.

MSRP: 7,000 euros ($7,415)

Cost per 100km and 100 miles: 50 euro cents per 100km ($1.70 per 100 miles)

Speed: 80 kph (50mph)

Range: 150-200 km (93- 124 miles)​

Another question is the availability of the compressed air and length of time needed to fill the tank. Personally, I'd be scared ******** to ride in one in any kind of traffic, and even without any traffic, to go over 20 mph.


.
 

ShivaFan

Satyameva Jayate
Premium Member
Electric cars work, and even with cheap gas coming the electric car is a great product and just because of that it will contunue to sell to consumers like me.

Watching the evolution of electric cars, seeing what a great product they have become, I am a buyer, and I think the success of electric means we will also see the success of other forms of transport including compressed air driven vehicles. I can see it by this one video, this is going to work and only get better and am excited to invest in it as I believe there will be thousands then tens of thousands of investors ready to put hard money down on such compressed air ventures/stocks.
 

freethinker44

Well-Known Member
Horribly inefficient.
It would be better to just take the energy required to supply that amount of compressed air and use it to power the car instead of the compressor.
 
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