A carbon neutral big island?

[Rob Tucker]

I believe that at this moment in it's development it is only vialble for island use. However, it's going into production in India right now.

A 100 mile range won't cut it in L.A. It will on an island.

[JWFITZ]

Seriously though, you've GOT to say it--

Have you ever run a dive compressor? Jesus, what a monster machine! And that car has several 4000psi bombs in it. Although it's potential 0-60 times are probably unbeatable(perhaps straight up) I'm sure you're better of just to drive a regular car.

You see electric cars all over LA now. I asked one owner--"how do you like your new coal powered car?" Didn't get it or appreciate it but the fact remains--that power comes from somewhere.

Now if we were sensible enough to build solid nuke plants or geothermal, the situation would change--but for the moment. . .looks like a hard nut to crack. And by the time the gas crunch really hits the economy will be so beat that to afford such projects will be near unthinkable.

[Rob Tucker]

JWFITZ,

Ease up. I didn't say you should want one. I said I wanted one. I know what a dive compressor is. I want a drive compressor. I know that air can be stored more efficiently than electricity too.

If you are intersted in new technololgy that works look to Europe. They are miles and miles ahead of the U.S. We're eating their dust.

[JWFITZ]

Sorry, I don't mean to be contrary, I'm simply looking for a real solution. For myself, the solution has been to not drive. I own a pickup, as I'm a carpenter by trade, but it's a rare year I put 2000 miles on it.

Air powered trucks were introduced around 1910 in the US, it's nothing new. And you are right about the energy density as opposed to batteries. It's a very workable system and may have applications at some point.

But, all in all, my personal reduction doens't mean beans-all I do is effectively free up fuel and road-space for someone else to keep driving, with the same end result coming at us full on. There's a grave risk that band-aid solutions as a society will snow us into missing the opportunity to make meaningful change while we can still afford it.

I'd love to see an immediate 2 dollar a gallon fuel tax with the money going into the sorts of infrastructure that some of you suggest. Discourage driving, change behavior, and build real solutions.

[Bob Orts]

I know this will work in Europe because they are already using compressed air vehicles, and appear to be doing so successfully. Now it's spreading to India.

The only problem I see is that you can't use a normal compressor; you need a high pressure system so using the corner coin operated tire inflator won't cut it. The onboard compressor is for when you run out of air and need that extra psi to get home. Using the rates here on the mainland, it would cost me $1.75 to fill the tank and that would get me 100 miles. A current gas/electric Hybrid getting 50 mpg at $3 a gallon would be $6. Humm $6 or $1.75 ???? It also appears they use the same regeneration process during breaking.

Unlike the EV1 with a limited range, the ZEPs with limited range and speeds, or any of the alternative fuels (CNG, LNG, Propane, etc) which are limited due to refueling locations, the MDI's does appear to be feasible and viable for the Big Island.

As for the tank bombs, that is a concern, but at least it's a known factor and they are nothing but a permanent mounted SCUBA tank. I looked at the rating of the CNG tank when filling up this morning and it's the same as what the AirCar will use, except CNG is flammable where compressed air won't.

But, in facing certain realities, we know how hard Americans can be when asking to downsize. These alternative cars are not the hulking vehicles Americans have been convinced by Detroit we must have.

[Rob Tucker]

The air tanks as a hazard have been addressed in design. They are carbon fiber tanks designed to split on the bottom (underside) in a collison and release their air downward. This has got to be better than a flammable explosive like gasoline.

[JWFITZ]

Nice concept, but in the real world where any collision is likely to involve NOT another air powered car but a gas powered one, the potential problems of a ruptured fuel tank AND a burst air tank are pretty hard to surmount.

But, it's an old proven technology and nothing new--and since on a local scale within an urban environment it is more or less zero emission, it may have uses. Still, it's pretty hard to believe that 1) creating new technology 2)creating new infrastructure 3) burning fossil fuels to create electricity 4) burning electricity to pump air is somehow more efficient than 1) maximizing a highly evolved existing technology 2)burning fossil fuels.

[Tahunatics]

Here's a nice electric car if you have an extra $100,000 lying around.

http://www.teslamotors.com/

The weakest link for all things electric including photovoltaics and off grid systems are the batteries. Everyone has been waiting for that huge breakthrough in battery technology for many years.

Edited by - Tahunatics on 10/31/2007 12:58:03

[JWFITZ]

Oil at 94.55;
Dollar index at 77.

The discussion is rapidly becoming moot.

[David D]

Hey, there are a lot of pertochemical compounds in that computer..........