sci.energy

> > The Air Car caused a huge stir when we reported last year that Tata
> > Motors would begin producing it in India. Now the little gas-free ride
> > that could is headed Stateside in a big-time way.

> It's NOT zero-pollution. =EF=BF=BDSomething has to power those compressors=

> that fill the tanks in this thing, unless you've got a windmill or
> solar panels on your roof, you create pollution.

Later they mention an 8 gallon fuel tank. Maybe it's a compressed air
hybrid and maybe the compressed air tanks can be pumped up
electrically from the grid ["zero emissions"] for a short trip.

Compressed air stores even less energy than batteries on a specific
energy basis so, without burning fuel, it's going to be a _real_ short
trip.

Nevertheless, as a hybrid, it may be cheaper to use compressed air and
just cycle the ICE on and off much more frequently.

Batteries wear out after so many charges which makes batteries more
expensive and more fuelish overall than fuel only conventional
drives. This might not be as true for a compressed air storage
system.

Compressed air motors and turbomachinery are extremely compact. The
big thing will be the air tank.


Bret Cahill