A Little Engine That Could Make Gasoline Obsolete (Compressed Air Powered Car Alert)

Los Angeles Times ^ | 02/22/05 | Dan Weikel

[goldstategop]

OK - this one comes from France. Y'all decide if a car that literally runs on compressed air is the real deal - or full of hot air!

(Denny Crane: "There are two places to find the truth. First God and then Fox News.")

[ServesURight]

BUMP

[patton]

That thing is an explosion waiting to happen.

Hey, strap a bomb to your butt, why don't you?

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Wonder what happens when these cars get a few years of salt corrosion and then get in an accident?

[Free and Armed]

I'm still waiting for an engine like on Back to The Future that runs on garbage. Then I'd have a reason to buy books from Al Franken.

[MeanWestTexan]

Interesting to see what happens whenb an air tank with 4,500 psi pressure gets hit by another car going 70mph.

[Zeppelin]

Oh sure, it's possible. But the energy from the wall (to compress the air) has to come from somewhere. So you'll just be burning more oil or coal in a factory. Energy trade-off.

Honestly, I wouldn't trust a French engineer. =P

[rellimpank]

---ah yes--compressing air, of course, requires no energy----

[SengirV]

I'd like to see that thing get in a wreck. Can we outfit all NASCAR with these so we can watch the whole thing blow u[ all at once? Then maybe I'd watch.

[Sterco]

Interesting to see what happens whenb an air tank with 4,500 psi pressure gets hit by another car going 70mph.

Be even more interesting to hear it!!!

[Dark Skies]

Compressed air engines...I like the idea but it's a b!tch to capture that compressed air before it decompresses. I found some down at the gas station, but they only had enough to top off my tires.

And, for God's sake, don't tell me the great supplies of compressed air are located in the Middle East...if that is the case, I caste my vote for bovine methane engines.

[Redcloak]

If they get hit just right, perhaps the driver can achieve low earth orbit; boldly going where no Frenchman has gone before.

[goldstategop]

LOL! As I see it, the main drawback with this car is its limited range and the fact it doesn't have a powerful engine. On the other hand, filling it up with free air makes it well - I would say the perfect car. And no costly tuneups, ever!

(Denny Crane: "There are two places to find the truth. First God and then Fox News.")

[jdege]

Isn't 4500 PSI about what we see in SCUBA tanks?

[Paul Atreides]

What will it be called, the FRT?

[G-dzilla]

A loy-uh descends from on high and says to the air tank "victims", "I can make it so youze can live on Eezy Street fuh life, dahling..."

[Darkwolf377]

Jaques and Jean are put-putting around in their air-compression cars, and have a minor fender-bender. Suddenly, both of their air-compression engines slip from their broken engine mounts and WHEEEESHHHHHH!!! shoot into the air! One comes down on a school, collapsing the poorly-constructed roof! Another lands on a police station! Alas, the French government thinks it is Islamic terrorists, and immediatelly launch on...Israel! Which promptly responds, wiping France from the map! The End!

[Centurion2000]

Holy Crap, one puncture and you are driving a BOMB.

I know gasoline is bad but it wont explode with one ruptured tank.

[JockoManning]

Air-powered car ping.

[nascarnation]

25 hp
just a bit more than my WheelHorse lawn tractor