Automotive

Zero Pollution compressed Air Car set for U.S. launch in 2010

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Zero Pollution compressed Air CarImage: www.zeropollutionmotors.us
Artists rendering of the Air-Car pick-up versionImage: www.zeropollutionmotors.us
MDI Air CarImage: www.zeropollutionmotors.us
Prototype Air CarImage: www.zeropollutionmotors.us
Zero Pollution compressed Air CarImage: www.zeropollutionmotors.us
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February 29, 2008 The Zero-Pollution MDI Air Car, invented in France and licensed by Tata Motors in India, is coming to American shores. Zero Pollution Motors have announced they will begin taking reservations for the first U.S. deliveries in the next couple of months, but it will be 2010 before Americans get their first taste of the ingenious compressed-air motor, which runs to 35mph entirely on air, or uses a trickle of petrol to heat and compress more air to reach higher speeds up to 90mph. It'll cost next to nothing to run (how do 30,000km service intervals sound?), have a range of up to 1000 miles, and retail for well under US$20,000.

We've written before about the promising potential of compressed air as the next energy storage medium for road cars, and it seems the concept is starting to gather some serious momentum. After signing a mass-production agreement with India's largest auto manufacturer, Zero Pollution has announced the beginning of a marketing push into the U.S.A.

Pre-orders for the air car will be taken in early 2008 on the Zero Pollution website, and initial U.S. deliveries for a 6-seater, 4-door, 75 hp, dual-energy MDI Air Car are anticipated for 2010.

The air car has also been one of the first entries in the multi-million dollar Automotive XPrize competition, which aims to reward innovators and inspire a new generation of super-efficient, 100mph+ vehicles to help free mankind from its oil addiction.

Check out our original look at the air car for more information on the amazing multifunction compressed air engine, as well as more information about the air car's development.

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28 comments
Bob M
.. our new car? ...
Facebook User
Well look it is coming to this country this coming year. a car to run on compress air, and you can tell the oil compies to take a hike and keep all that gas money in your saving account. It is about time. So read it an rejoice. This has been around for a long time. Enrico Granse
Dan Allen
I\'m cheerfully optimistic about these cars! But realistically I know its going to be difficult to deal with the oil conglomerates. Even if the car makes it to the market, they will probably find ways to hinder or destroy the Air car. Probably by preventing gas stations from purchasing the air compressing stations. IMO the hybrids were an acceptable compromise to their profits, because either way we are stuck using oil.
*Crosses fingers hoping I\'m wrong
Ernest Langmaid
I will believe this when I see it. This car has been promised for years now, and as I believe compressed air tech will never make it, I think after all the beat ups that it will never happen! The compression required is near impossible to obtain economically. A standard garage air compressor delivering 160 psi uses heaps of electricity, imagine what a compressor pumping out 1400 psi would cost to run and maintain, makes no sense at all.
Mark Mitsch
Dan Allen:
Makes no sense at all???
You can buy a \"personal\" 5,000 psi compressor for around $3K for filling SCUBA tanks (to around 3,000 psi) that you can stick in your garage. This technology has been around for decades.
Ernest Langmaid
Dan, I have been selling commercial air compressors from my automotive machinery company for years, and know what I am talking about.
Although you can put a lot of pressure in to a small scuba tank, (again with enormous energy loss through heat) try doing that quickly and cheaply in tanks of the size fitted to these cars. It\'s laughable!
Ernest Langmaid
You forgot to mention that this and the bigger model were originally scheduled for release 3 years ago now! It wont happen.
Keith Aderholdt
My full sized Compressed Natural Gas van stores it\'s fuel at 3000 psi, most systems are 3600 psi and at $2/gas gallon equivalent I would describe it as economically viable. Now if we could stop fracturing shale for the gas and ramp up biogas production we would a little better off, it\'s always something though isn\'t it which I guess is a lot of what this site is about. I like the little air cars and late or not they look like a welcome break from oil.
nehopsa
A vapor, I mean airware. 2010 is now. Where is my air car? Only links to Zero Pollution evaporated.
matthew.rings
www.zeropollutionmotors.us = \"404 not found\"... that doesn\'t bode well if they can\'t even afford to pay the $99 a year to keep a static webpage going.