Saturday, September 21, 2002

Impact of Emerging Technologies is the focus of [MIT Enterprise Technology Review] with this seemingly unbelievable story about an air powered automobile from France, using Isotherm Dynamics, a process that creates power by expanding air at an almost constant tempterature.  If I am understanding this correctly: Household electricity cools and compresses the air into a replaceable tank that goes in the car (it uses four such tanks) to run the 1 foot square engine, because ambient air temperature causes the air to expand ... this process takes 4 hours at home, per electric outlet being used for the purpose, or 3 minutes at a special compressed air station that Motor Development International sells for about $100,000.00 to places like today's Gas Stations.  It can take in polluted air, filter it, and expel cleaner air as exhaust. With fully loaded air tanks, it takes passengers about 120 miles at an average of 30 mph.  The car can go from 0 to 50 mph in 7 seconds and seats 5. An ABC reporter tested the car saying it ran quite well except it was quite noisy.  The inventor says this is something they will fix in later models. Buy this car for between $10k and $14k.  Thanks to V. of TYR for passing this link to Al Mac. 4:18:30 PM

© Copyright 2002 Al Macintyre.