Your next car could run on air (and gas). The French carmaker Peugeot is working on a vehicle that could run partially on air. Highly efficient, the car will be doing approximately 2.9 liters for 100 kms or 81 MPG.
As the New York Times, the Guardian and Le Figaro [Fr] reported, the Hybrid Air combines a hydraulic drive that recovers energy each time the car brakes or decelerates as well as a conventional thermal engine.
These models would be ideal for urban driving. Due to be sold as early as 2016, it would be cheaper -and more efficient in city driving – than a Toyota Prius.
PSA ( the official name of the Peugeot Citroen company ) is willing to reach a mileage of two liters for 100 kms for 2020 (around 117 MPG). This model seems like a good way of achieving those ambitious goals.
Now, here are some ideas that came to my mind while reading the afore mentioned articles.
First, why combine the ” scuba tank “ (ie. the hydraulic tank, filled with nitrogen ) with an electric engine, thus achieving a 100% clean motorisation ? I guess it just wasn’t feasible, but I am not sure.
Second, why not going for carbon fiber ? Peugeot would be able to reduce even more the energy consumption ? (granted, it would also increase significantly the price).
In any case, I just hope this will enable Peugeot Citroen to survive the crisis as the company got seriously hit as sales have been decreasing for the past six years…
This is good news. Finally conservation is not just a statement but a real reduction in the fuel consumption.
Carbon Fiber aside, Peugeot could be hiding few other tricks up their sleeves. Jack brakes used to improve the engine braking efficiency of diesel engine vehicles, pump out a lot of air in the process. This air if collected and stored could be reversed to pump the same piston engine which produced it.
Interesting motoring times ahead!!
Many thanks for your comment GB !
We have indeed interesting times ahead in all areas related to energy efficiency and conservation. 🙂
True Edouard, I sometimes do think that the big inventions in that space may have already been made and what remains is its refinement.