Re: Compressed air car
From: hugo_steincamp (norgo@cybertrails.com)
Date: Sun 24 Feb 2002 - 19:22:43 EST
Mike:
This one is not a hybrid, although a hybrid will be available at some
point. Here's some information I found (and I realize I'm off the
topic of Peugeot, but it is a French car and it will be sold in the
US, and it is certainly a noteworthy automobile technology):
Hugo
The French company Zero Pollution Motor Inc. is building a new
electric car powered by a compressed-air engine. The company is
calling the car the MDI TOP (Taxi ZerO Pollution) because they plan
to initially introduce it to the public as a taxi. Powered by
compressed air and an electric motor, the car will emit only a small
amount of pollution, from the oil used to lubricate the motor. The
company claims the car's exhaust pollutant levels are much lower than
those of a conventional engine.
The engine will run off compressed air stored in either carbon or
glass fiber tanks, at a pressure of 4,351 pounds per square inch
(psi), or 300 bar. The MDI engine is unlike a conventional four-
stroke engine, in which compression, combustion and expansion all
take place in a single cylinder. In the MDI engine, these three
functions are divided into a three-chamber system, with one cylinder
for compression, a small spherical chamber for combustion and a much
larger cylinder for expansion.
For now, the car is only optimal for city driving because its range
is limited to about 124 miles (200 km). Using a household electricity
source, it takes about four hours for the motor-driven compressor to
recharge the compressed air tanks. A rapid three minute recharge is
also possible, using a high-pressure air pump.
Zero Pollution claims the car will only require .8 liters of oil,
which drivers will need to change every 31,000 miles (50,000 km). The
car will come equipped with automatic transmission, rear wheel drive,
rack and pinion steering and a 9.5 foot (292 cm) wheel base. It will
weigh about 1,543 pounds (700 kg) and will be about 12.5 feet (384
cm) long, 5.7 feet (175 centimeters) tall and 5.6 feet (172 cm) wide.
It will be able to accelerate from 0-30 mph in seven seconds and will
have a top speed of 60 mph (96.5 kph). (Note: the company's website
says it will accelerate zero to 60 in 3 seconds.)
An alternate version of the MDI engine can function as a duel-fuel
engine, using both air and a traditional fuel, such as gasoline,
diesel fuel or natural gas, at very low consumption levels. In this
engine type, the engine runs on air at speeds below 37 mph (60 kph)
and electronically switches to the traditional fuel at higher speeds.
--- In peugeot-L@y..., "Mike Aube" <maube@i...> wrote:
> Apparently, this is not a new idea. Another car enthousiast just
sent me a message that Fiat had a hybrid prototype that used a small
gas engine to keep the constant speed. The compressed air motor would
kick in when acceleration was wanted and the air tank would refill on
decelaration . I wonder what the range for that car was on a tankfull?
> Mike Aube
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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