Desperate times call for desperate measures, and it’s simply amazing how new products seem to arise out of extreme need in order to heed the call. This time is no exception in the auto industry. With ridiculously high gas prices, the last thing this economy needs is more SUV’s. That is why one innovative auto maker decided to create a product that will not only save you money bigtime, but will most likely outlast the competition over time. How does a car that gets 106 mpg sound to you? As long as this big Gorilla can fit into it just fine, it sounds great! And what if this Gorilla told you that this super car could run partially on air? Yes, it’s true folks, there is such a car, and not only could we see it out on the market as early as 2010, but it will actually be affordable as well, at a price of only $18,500; a bargain for such an economically and environmentally sensitive product. This incredible air-compressed car is generating plenty of skepticism, but it is also generating plenty of buzz out there. A European company, MDI, is using a technology which was founded by a former race car engineer who is also an inventor. A New York based company has already jumped into the driver’s seat by being the first to obtain a license from MDI to produce the cars in the United States. So, how exactly does it work? Well the Gorilla was, of course, wondering the same thing. It sounds simple: It’s a cool technology in which the engine’s pistons are powered by compressed air, similar to a locomotive, but sans the steam. Gas is still used however, and drawn from a tank underneath the vehicle and used as a mix with the compressed air, but that’s only after the car accelerates to over 35 mpg. Under that speed, the car runs strictly on the air. Shiva Vencat, Vice President of MDI and CEO of Zero Pollution Motors, explains that the car will only go a short distance when using just air so fuel is needed to get the full range. “Above 35 mph, there is an external combustion system, which is basically a heater that uses a little bit of gasoline, biofuel, ethanol, or vegetable oil that will heat the air,” Vencat said. “Heating the air increases its volume, and by increasing its volume, it increases [the car’s] range. That’s why with one gallon of gasoline, or its equivalent, we are able to make over 100 mpg.”
Although the vehicle has been met with extreme skepticism in many areas (some companies doubt the capabilities of the technology saying it could never realistically get that kind of gas mileage unless is was an “experimental product”), many automakers are still buying into the technology. Tata Motors of India is one of them. It is not saying however that they are developing an air compressed car, but that it is working on “refining” the technology. “The project is under progress. We do not yet have any timeframe for launch,” said Debasis Ray, the head of corporate communications for Tata Motors. At this point in time there are only prototypes, but the Gorilla, and many “Green Watchers” like him, is impressed by the thought of such a seemingly great product, which will help people save money, while also cutting down on deadly carbon monoxide emissions. If it works, it could certainly be a win-win product!