No gas tank or battery
non-flammable propellant
exhaust temp of 0 - 15 degrees below zero make great air conditioner
Fill up at home overnight and make use of off-peak electricity
Good arguement for ramping up nuclear power
Made by Tata motors, India's largest car maker
200 to 300 km range (120-180mi)
Gets us off the habit of giving money
to those who want to kill us
http://www.theaircar.com/
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1636348/posts
posted previously 05/22/2006
bump
I want my Air Car.
What compresses the air? Magic pixies?
Let Al Gore ride in it first. When I see the eco nazis truly using these products, I might give a s*** until then, it is "feel good" fantasy.
Sorry, it blows.
If it takes longer than 10 mins to recharge or replace power, it's another lost attempt.
The numbers don't add up... Sorry...
Assume an average speed of 20 kph - that translates to ~5.6 meters per second. Pretty slow, overall. But we'll say it's a commuter vehicle in rush hour! And we'll negate any friction losses, too...
Now assume the vehicle weighs in at 500 kg, loaded (it'll be light!), and that it will run for 250 km (right in the middle of the range provided).
It takes about 9.8 Watts to move one kilogram one meter in one second.
So, we have 9.8 Watts per kg-m/s times 500 kg * 5.6 m/s = 27.4 kW.
Now, we have a range of 250 km, right? So at 20 kph, that is 12.5 hours:
27.4 kW * 12.5 hours = 343 kW-h.
Assuming a cost of USD$3 to run it, that would translate to around (300 cents /343 kW-h) 0.87 pennies per kW-h. Or $0.0087 per kW-h.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have pretty cheap electricity, thanks to all the abundant hydro we have. And we pay around 6.5 cents per kW-h. SO that would be around 7.5 times as expensive as the article's rate...
I'd expect to see refill costs in the $30 per tank range, not $3. Meaning you're paying around $1 per 10 km of range, or $3 per 30 km of range. Like a typical large vehicle if powered by gas (assuming gas at $3 per gallon, and you get 20 MPG).
And note that the small Aero, or Prius - vehicles that get 45 MPG in the same type of low speed operation - would have even more distance per dollar...
Numbers just don't add up...
Air Car?
This thing blows L0L
Make it illegal to use any car or truck that weighs less than 3,000# on a public road!!!!
I'd say we'll see how it runs through commercialization.
I think it's important that conservatives get-on to the rational side of alternative fuel debate. We have to be prudent in what we support, but we have talk about it.
It's envitable this shift happens, and it's desireable that this shift happens. I don't even like a dime going to the corrupt/evil people in the middle east...muchless Mexico, Venezuela and Russia.
I'm thinking algae will be a good commercial product once cost are reduced a bit. But I'm up for anything that is economically sound, and I believe the free-market along with leadership will do us good.
I don't like the perspective of whatever is alternative is liberal...no it isn't. Technology and diversity is worthy of all mankind. So don't be so against the idea of these things...they're worth looking into, and objective valuing.
Engineers and scientists in Bangdadash released their beta design for the AIR plane, anticpated to use virtually no fuel. It's ultra light weight and needs little landing space. (;^D)
Tata is just another word for boob - seems appropriate somehow.
"make use of off-peak electricity"
Wouldn't remain off peak for long!
-PJ