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Compressed
Air Vehicles
by
Chuck Hall
 Way back in the 19th century, novelist Jules Verne
predicted that cars of the future would run on compressed air. Well,
the future is here! Motor Development International (MDI) has
developed just such a vehicle (www.theaircar.com). If you drive less
than fifty miles per day at less than forty miles per hour, these
inexpensive vehicles may just be the green alternative for you. The
current prototypes, the MiniCAT and the CityCAT, both run on
compressed air. The CityCAT will have a longer range than the
MiniCAT, but the operating principle is still the same: a tank of
compressed air runs a two-cylinder engine that propels the vehicle.
The MiniCAT has a maximum range of about 120 miles and a maximum
speed of 40 mph. It runs exclusively on a compressed air tank that
may be refueled in about three minutes at any station that has a
high-capacity air compressor. It may alternatively be refilled by
using the car’s onboard compressor, which runs on electricity and
may be plugged into any standard outlet. Using this method requires
about four hours for a recharge.
The CityCAT is a duel-energy vehicle.
It runs on compressed air for short trips under 60 mph, and when
more power and longer range are needed, it can be
run on its internal combustion engine. It has a maximum speed
in excess of 100 mph and a range of approximately 200-250 miles
before refueling. While either of these cars is a bit small for the
entire family, they are perfect commuter cars for urban travel.
Either model produces zero pollution
when operating in compressed air mode; however, the CityCAT has the
same emissions problems as any other internal combustion engine when
running on gasoline. The slight advantage here is that since it is a
smaller car than most standard production cars on the market today,
it would presumably use less fuel and therefore generate less
pollution. There is another precaution to consider with CAT
vehicles. Whether recharging the tank by plugging into a convenient
outlet or by a commercial compressor, the electricity used would
have to come from a green energy provider in order for the car to be
truly non-polluting. If the electricity used to recharge the tank is
coming from a power plant that burns fossil fuels, the pollution is
just being transferred up the supply chain. The simple solution to
this would of course be to purchase your electricity from a green
power facility.
The current projected price for these
vehicles is surprisingly inexpensive, at around $7000 to $10,000
each. When compared with the cost of hybrids and other alternative
energy vehicles, these minis appear to be an amazingly good value
for your transportation dollar.
After several false starts, MDI has
cautiously estimated that both the MiniCAT and the CityCAT will be
commercially available sometime in 2009. They are currently
undergoing a lengthy licensing process to make the vehicles
available to the general public worldwide. To chart the progress of
the air car, you may visit MDI’s Web site at www.theaircar.com.
Chuck
Hall is a Sustainability Consultant and author. His latest book, Green
Circles: A Sustainable Journey from the Cradle to the Grave, is
now available at Booklocker.com.
You may contact Chuck by email at: chuck@cultureartist.org or visit
the Culture Artist Web site at www.cultureartist.org.
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