Something to ponder--see web site below.
In my opinion, this looks like a combination of basic principles with some
innovative ideas---basically it's a hybrid car which uses compressed air
storage instead of batteries to store energy. In either case you have to burn
fuel to compress air (or to charge batteries) so there is no big advance over
other hybrid technologies.
Charge/discharge turnaround efficiency for batteries is about 65%. I'm
guessing that when all losses are accounted for the turnaround efficiency for
compressed air will be about the same or maybe less. For short ranges without
running the combustion engine, this system may have a lower overall weight.
But batteries have a higher energy storage density so the non-combustion range
will be greater for battery hybrids.
Compressed air powered vehicles are nothing new--about 1900 small compressed
air locomotives were regularly used for dock-side duty and were recharged at a
centralized compressed air station.
http://www.theaircar.com/
Lance
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