Zero Pollution Motors to Introduce Compressed Air Cars in US for 2011

Company Determined to Overcome Obstacles

With oil costs ever-increasing and supplies dwindling, savvy new automakers are seeking innovative technology to replace gas-guzzling combustion engines. Zero Pollution Motors has announced plans to introduce the first compressed air-powered vehicles (CAVs) in the United States by 2010, with 8,000 of the CAVs to hit the 2011 market. Unlike traditional auto manufacturers, Zero Pollution Motors plans to set up factories in most of the U.S. states and sell its vehicles directly to consumers.

Zero Pollution Motors intends to sell autos that run mainly on compressed air and sell them for $20,000, according to Kiplinger. A small motor can burn diesel, gasoline, salad oil, or ethanol to supplement the compressed air for highway driving.

The compressed air vehicle (CAV) that Zero Pollution Motors is developing has a top speed of 35 mph and top distance of 80 miles when running solely on a tank of compressed air.

Zero Pollution Motors is not the only company planning to introduce CAVs; the technology was developed by MDI, a French company, which plans to introduce the cars in France next year. MDI has already sold the rights to produce CAVs for the Indian market to India's largest automaker, Tata. Germany, South Africa and Israel are also showing possible interest in MDI's technology.

The CAVs envisioned by Zero Pollution Motors will likely compete with electric fuel-celled vehicles. The CAVs appear to have some natural advantages over the electric vehicles as they won't require the erection of a fuel-cell refueling infrastructure.

Refilling the 52 gallon compressed air tank requires access to either a gas station compressed air unit which takes minutes, or an electric outlet to power the onboard air compresser. The use of the onboard air compresser to refill the tank consumes about 4 hours and is expected to cost about $2 in electrical usage.