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air powered car
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 6:59 am
by roid
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/01 ... ir_pow.php
it costs a paltry 0.75 â?¬ per 100km (or $1 USD per 62 miles) to run. Due out this year, the Minicat is powered by a revoluntary compressed air technology (CAT) engine. How it works is largely a well kept secret. But the results are a vehicle with a range of about 300km or 10 hours driving. At a purpose built air-refill station it takes 3 minutes to fill the 91 litre tank. Home filling would require ...
... around 3 hours. And the only emissions are a little cool air
...
And the weirdest thing is that the suggested price for such a wonder is only $10,000 USD. This is partly due to the fact they have designed their own mini factories to produce the MiniCat, with 23 countries already wanting a piece of the action.
this year eh. *rubs hands with glee*
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 7:08 am
by Dedman
I wonder what the psi rating of the air tank is going to have to be and what inspection scedule it is going to have. SCUBA cylinders typically are in the 3000-4000 psi range and must be inspected annually for internal corrosion. I can see reliability possibly being an issue with this thing. Other than that, very cool.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 10:17 am
by Krom
That story sounds like its full of hot air to me.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 10:30 am
by Testiculese
Why does it have to be the most hideous thing ever designed.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 10:34 am
by Iceman
What Krom and Testi said ...
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 11:17 am
by Tricord
x3
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 11:30 am
by DCrazy
And where does the energy come from to pressurize this air? Burning fossil fuels! Because that nuclear energy is dangerous, even though we don't know anything about it! Instead of learning, we should cover our ears and hide in the corner from the big bad atom-smashing cancer-causing green-glowing Homer-Simpson-employing baby-killing monster!
Actually, the company is apparently French. If there's one thing they've got right, it's nuclear power.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 11:48 am
by Grendel
Edit: must resist .. can't:
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 11:49 am
by snoopy
DCrazy wrote:And where does the energy come from to pressurize this air? Burning fossil fuels! Because that nuclear energy is dangerous, even though we don't know anything about it! Instead of learning, we should cover our ears and hide in the corner from the big bad atom-smashing cancer-causing green-glowing Homer-Simpson-employing baby-killing monster!
Actually, the company is apparently French. If there's one thing they've got right, it's nuclear power.
Exactly, something has to pressurize the air- it just makes you feel better because all the pollution you're producing if way off out of sight at the power plant.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:57 pm
by Mobius
Nuclear energy is actually the safest method of generating electricity. More people have died in coal pits then will ever be killed by nuclear reactors.
The world is going to have to wake up to the fact that Pebble Bed Nuclear reactors are the best hope for the immediate future of power generation.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 1:25 pm
by Lobber
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 2:45 pm
by snoopy
One thing I've seen before is fluid braking. If, instead of simply producing heat to brake, you used the brakes to compress some sort of fluid, that energy can later be used. I don't know if this guy has it integrated into his car, but that would certainly improve the cars performance in stop and go traffic.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 3:08 pm
by Scratch
I have a friend that had one of those...yet it was a toy...hooked up hand held pump to it...ahh, memories.
Thank thing is a POS...nuff said. Oh wait, one more thing...it's FUGLY.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 3:09 pm
by Grendel
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 3:18 pm
by Top Gun
It's about the size of a Little Tykes kiddie car. Reminds me most of those idiotic-looking Smart cars that inhabitants of European cities seem to be enamored with. Call me when they have something in a pickup.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 3:49 pm
by Grendel
Check for
Pick-Up
The
Smart Roadster isn't that bad..
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 4:38 pm
by Robo
Yeah, I don't think 'Smarties' are that bad actually.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 6:27 pm
by Top Gun
No, that roadster isn't too bad. I guess I'm stuck in the "stereotypical big American car" kick.
Give me a big@ss Buick LeSabre or Ford Crown Vic...aah. The only smaller cars I do enjoy are those of the persuasion of, say, the BMW Z-series.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 6:48 pm
by roid
snoopy etc, this is essentially a battery powered car.
where the energy comes to charge the batterys has nothing to do with the car technology.
since an expensive and LARGE immobile energy plant has the theoretical capability to make energy at as greater efficiency as it can, i opt for this rather than having millions of smaller less efficient MOBILE power plants, which is what we use today with burning fuels in cars.
upgrade your power plant (you know, click upgrade and then click the power plant
) and suddenly every battery powered car becomes even LESS poluting. the wonders of power centralisation and specialisation.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 10:24 pm
by JMEaT
With a Flowmaster sticker it could possibly hold its own in a 25 MPH zone.
Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2005 11:35 pm
by snoopy
JMEaT wrote:With a Flowmaster sticker it could possibly hold its own in a 25 MPH zone.
ROFL!