The MDI Air Car runs on compressed air, and it’s exhaust is air cleaner than the air it takes in as it drives to combine with the compressed air, because it filters it. The car’s air tanks can be refilled by plugging the car into an electrical outlet for several hours, or at a ‘filling station’ which has supercompressed air in about 3 minutes.
I want one of the cars. I have wanted one for … probably about 6 years now. Soon, they will be in production in a way that I can buy one.
But here is the other idea: Find out what the specifications required for the supercompressed air are, what sort of compressor and tank are needed, look up how much those cost, or how much one of their pre-fab setups for selling to gas stations runs. Since the cars’ up-front cost is low (estimated between about 7k and 10k euros, depending on model and options, US pricing yet to come), adding the cost of a home supercompressor for a couple thousand might not be unreasonable.
And more than that, since I could have just plugged it into the wall to recharge it at home anyway, look up what the power requirements for the supercompressor setup are and/or can be adjusted to with the idea of solar power in mind. Also, look up that OTHER kind of solar cell, and its specs. Can I supercompress my own air without burning coal or natural gas or creating nuclear waste somewhere else? (That is, by using electricity.)
If I can, then after production and setup, the vehicle would basically be free and pollution-free to dive. Vehicle maintenance costs would then seem quite reasonable, right?
If I wait for the second generation of vehicles (probably the first generation that is available domestically, they’re already well into development), the ones that have gasoline AND air tanks and which prefer to run on air, but can switch to gas and back again while you’re driving without any trouble at all, and refill their air tanks while you’re driving with gas as your fuel… the car would run for free and pollution free anywhere within it’s air capacity, but its driving range would be significantly extended – not just by what it can do with both tanks full, but because a gasoline infrastructure is already in place. Great in the city and for commuting, but not limited to it, the alternative fuel car that can go on road trips to anywhere, even without needing 6 hours to recharge at an outlet!
