powerplant of the future??

[MCosgrove@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Check out   www.theaircar.com.    It touts a French car that runs on
compressed air, goes 70 mpm, 200 miles on a tank, and has the usual zero
pollution.  Call me a skeptic, but I think it is lubricated with snake oil.

It carries a tank that one fills with 4500 psi air.  The 25 hp, 566 cc
engine  compresses an atmospheric charge to 300 psi and 400 degrees C, then
squirts some of the "fuel" air into the cylinder, causing the power stroke.
(???!)  Where does one get the 4500 psi air to fill up the "fuel" tank?
How much pollution is created compressing that air?  What energy is used to
compress the atmospheric air to 300 psi?  How can compressing the air and
heating it create power?  What will the squirt of air from the fuel tank do
other than cool the charge and remove some of the energy, unless that
squirt is where all the power comes from.  Or perhaps it is the articulated
connecting rods.  Eric,  show me what I'm missing.

Wonder if any of our 2007 Alfas will have one under the hood?  GTA, Gran
Turismo Air?

Mike in 35 degrees C Texas
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