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Compressed air to power cars
Try to ignore the fact that I just recently posted on an eco-friendly car, and check out the YouTube video below, highlighting a car that runs on compressed air. You actually refill the air tank from air compressors at gas stations! It's being marketed as not only environmentally-sound, but inexpensive (about $15,000). It can go up to 60mph, and you get 200 miles per tank. What's more is that guess what it emits? Clean, breathable air. Seems too good to be true! I wonder if it is...
Re: Compressed air powered car
Posted by
Mindy Hiteshue
at
03-08-2008 12:50 AM
Doesn't it say in the video that the energy to power the air compressor is from a machine that is also powered by air? I guess you crank it or something. I could definitely have this mixed up though!
Compressed air powered car
Keep in mind that the air compressor run on electricity, so the car would, in effect, be an electric car. The power source would not be air but a power plant, likely a coal burning plant. So it does not really have zero emissions.
While I don’t know the efficiency of the air compressor and the air powered motor, I expect that the total emissions (power plant exhaust) will be less than the emissions from a gasoline powered car of similar size. It would also offer flexibility as new power sources are developed. So it does appear to be a good idea.