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French automaker Peugeot recently revealed plans to release the first ever compressed air powered vehicle in 2015. The vehicle uses a combination of gasoline and compressed air to power zero emission city driving; the company predicts the new “hybrid air” vehicle will achieve an average of 117 miles per gallon. Plus, the vehicle will cost less than a standard hybrid that uses battery power.
The system uses a normal internal combustion engine, special hydraulics and an adapted gearbox, as well as compressed air cylinders that store and release energy. This construction allows the vehicle to run on gasoline, air or a combination of the two depending on the driving conditions; air power is reserved for city use and automatically activated below 43 mph. The air system works by reusing the energy that is normally lost when slowing down or braking.
Reusing energy is an excellent step toward becoming more efficient and increasing energy and cost savings. Atlas Copco offers an energy recovery system that captures and reuses the heat byproduct of air compression in manufacturing applications that require hot water. Because energy consumption typically represents more than 80 percent of a compressor’s lifecycle cost, energy savings in compressed air systems have a significant impact on the environment and your bottom line.
The same can be said about fuel economy. What are your thoughts on the “hybrid air” vehicle? Leave us a comment below or contact us.
