Here at mental_floss, we’re interested in all things smart, especially when it comes to automobile advancements. A while ago, we wrote about the Smart Car (aka “the Swatchmobile”), and the exciting news that you’ll be able to buy one here in the States as early as 2008. We’ve also written about an electric sports car called the DarkStar featuring an engine with virtually no moving parts that goes 0 to 60 in under 4 seconds and is powered by lithium ion laptop batteries.
But how much smarter is this: A car powered by air! Indeed, you read that correctly… air — well, to be more specific, compressed air. And the only thing that comes out of its tail pipe? Why cold air, naturally — some of which can be recycled back through the AC unit.
Designed by Moteur Development International (MDI), the revolutionary “air car” will go into production soon. From the website:
The duel energy engine…will work exclusively with compressed air while it is running under 50 km/h in urban areas. But when the car is used outside urban areas at speeds over 50 km/h, the engines will switch to fuel mode. The engine will be able to use gasoline, gas oil, bio diesel, gas, liquidized gas, ecological fuel, alcohol, etc.
Now you might be thinking to yourself: ah, sounds like a bunch of hot air to me. Well, I don’t blame you. As the old cliché goes, seeing is believing. So go take a look at this video, linked to by our friends over at hugg.com.
Comments (8)
Comment
- subscribe /
- give a gift /
- terms of service /
- about /
- contact us /
- write for us /
- ad info /
- subscriber services /
- press /
- privacy policy /
- rss /
© 2012 Mental Floss Inc. All Rights Reserved. Mental Floss is a registered trademark owned by Felix Dennis. mentalfloss.com is a trademark owned by Felix Dennis.
Disclaimer: All submissions made to mental_floss become the property of Mental Floss Inc and may be used without further permission by the submitter and without compensation to the submitter. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not submit anything to mental_floss.
I’d love to see the first few people to buy any of these tinny cars. I want one too, but I don’t want to be the first!
posted by paperback writer on 8-17-2006 at 9:06 am
I live in Oklahoma and I saw a Smart ForTwo car driving down Highway 169 yesterday morning. Now you won’t be the first, so go ahead and buy your tinny car. Or tiny car. They’re pretty much the same thing.
posted by Anthony on 8-17-2006 at 9:29 am
That’s funny Paperback. I’ve been telling my fellow writers here at the floss that it takes a bold person to put down the first comment on a blog post. Once there’s one, others feel free to contribute, as well. And look: you’ve gone ahead and proved me correct!
posted by David on 8-17-2006 at 9:59 am
I live in New York (upstate, if you’re from the city, otherwise known as the Hudson Valley) and I saw a SmartCar pulling out on a 7-11. My mom laughed and said “What *is* that?” and the sad thing was, I knew what it was purely because I read the DaVinci Code.
posted by Kate on 8-17-2006 at 12:30 pm
Here’s the absolute coolest car ever.
http://www.infectiousvideos.com/index.php?p=showvid&a=playvid&sid=1567&cr=hotplay
Most futurist cars are re-workings of 19th century mechanics. Lots of little mechanical linkings. In fact I saw a video of a replica of the first Benz. The presenter pointed out that it was the same as a modern one in every real sense.
posted by Steve Warner on 8-17-2006 at 12:57 pm
Steve: Thanks for the link! That really is the coolest car ever, you’re right! But at that price, I think I’d rather own an island off the coast of Italy!
posted by David on 8-17-2006 at 1:15 pm
Agreed… that link is crazy!
posted by Mangesh on 8-17-2006 at 2:57 pm
I strive to be the first to comment…most of the time though, I feel my comments are inane.
Anyway, that being said…I won’t be buying this tiny (or tinny as I originally posted) car anytime soon, unfortunately!
posted by paperback writer on 8-18-2006 at 9:56 am