A Guide To Compressed Air Cars

In the past few years there have been many advances made in the vehicle industry. With more and more people becoming concerned with protecting the environment, the car industry has had to follow suit and come up with new technology. Everyday new technology is emerging that is allowing the invention of new types of cars as well as alternative types of fuel. One type of car with a fascinating new technology is the compressed air car. Compressed air cars are not yet available in most places but the technology behind them is being perfected so that they can be introduced into the market.

A compressed air car is a type of alternative fuel vehicle which uses a motor powered by compressed air. These cars can be powered solely by air or by a combination of air and fuel, such as diesel, ethanol, or gasoline which is how a hybrid electric vehicle runs. Compressed air car engines are fueled by a tank of compressed air, instead of an engine that runs with pistons and an ignited fuel air mixture. Basically, compressed air cars are powered by the expansion of compressed air. While compressed air car technology has advanced it is not new, there have been prototypes since the 1920's.

The world's first commercial compressed air car was developed by Guy Negre, an ex Formula One engineer. The car is supposed to be built by Tata Motors which is India's largest auto maker. According to manufacturers the car will be reasonably priced and practical. The cost of refueling the car is approximately two dollars and is simple as long as there is a gas station in the area that has custom air compressor units but if you do not live near a station that has these units you can plug into an electrical grid and the car has a built in compressor which takes about four hours to fully refill the tank. According to Guy Negre, the car is essentially an electric car it just doesn't have an electric motor. While many people are under the impression that the air car is an emissions free vehicle, this is not the case. The only thing that comes from the tailpipe of the car is air but in order to create the electricity to run the car fossil fuels were burned but the emissions are still far less than that of a car powered by gasoline.

While the air compressed car will be available in various countries, it may never become available in the United States. Due to the air cars construction it is not likely to perform well in crash tests. It is possible that further research and technology will produce a safer more reliable air car that will pass crash tests and be available in the United States. Compressed air cars would help to save a lot of money compared with gas powered vehicles and air cars are also much safer for the environment so there are many benefits to further developing the compressed air powered car.

The following resources provide further information on compressed air car and other alternative fuel vehicles.

• Air Cars, Will They Sell? - an article about the introduction of air cars into the market and whether or not they will be successful

• First Air Car – an article explaining the world's first air car, how it runs, and great information on emissions

• How Air Cars Work – an article explaining how air cars work as well as advantages and disadvantages to owning one

• Alternative Fuel Vehicles – information on some of the different alternative fuel vehicles that are or will be available in the future

• Green Vehicle Guide – a guide to buying a vehicle that is fuel efficient, and good for the environment

• Future of Transportation – an article from Scientific American on the future of transportation with info on new technologies, alternative fuels, and emissions