Motor Authority - blog Tag: Air

In what could be one of the most bizarre ways to spend our tax dollars, the U.S. Air Force has commissioned the design and construction of two highly-customized cars using Air Force technology. Before you start questioning why the Air Force would need a pair of custom cars, they were developed as part of the division’s 2009 Supercar Tour recruitment program.

It's no secret that the U.S. military has had recruitment problems in recent years. As a result, each branch has been forced to hone its marketing skills and speak more persuasively to potential enlistees.

To build the cars, the Air Force hired California’s Galpin Auto... In what could be one of the most bizarre ways to spend our tax dollars, the U.S. Air Force has commissioned the design and construction of two highly-customized cars using Air Force technology. Before you start questioning why the Air Force would need a pair of custom cars, they were developed as part of the division’s 2009 Supercar Tour recruitment program. It's no secret that the U.S. military has had recruitment problems in recent years. As a result, each branch has been forced to hone its marketing skills and speak more persuasively to potential enlistees. To build the cars, the Air Force hired California’s Galpin Auto Sports to transform a Ford Mustang and a Dodge Challenger into serious supercars. The end result is the new ‘X-1’ Mustang and ‘Vapor’ Challenger. On the outside, both cars look vaguely similar to other highly-customized cars, with scissor-doors, carbon-fiber trim, and flashy wheels. Inside, however, the Air Force influence becomes startlingly clear. The X-1 is tricked-out like a jet cockpit, with an ejection seat and a jet fighter influenced instrument panel. The Vapor's interior is done in two-seat style, with a bonus steering wheel for the passenger and a special ‘stealth mode’ for the exhaust system. Other features include one-off carbon-fiber wheels, a shaker hood, radar-absorbing paint, proximity sensors, and a 360-degree camera with a quarter mile range. The 2009 Super Car Tour will primarily visit high schools and a variety of Air Force sponsored events including the DUB magazine auto show, Hot Import Nights, Battle of the Imports, Formula Drift, International Hot Rod Association and local community events. Via: TheCarConnectionU.S. Air Force X-1 supercar based on the Ford MustangU.S. Air Force Vapor supercar based on the Dodge Challenger Read More

While major auto manufacturers race to bring new electric and hybrid cars to market, other companies are looking at alternatives to electricity - including using air to power cars. The idea of an air-powered car is nothing new, and companies have been touting the technology for the past few years but for now not much has emerged in the way of a production model, largely due to flaws with the design of the vehicles.

In fact, many engineers are skeptical of the technology's use, as the energy required to power air-compressors in air-powered cars is massive compared to using that energy in an electric battery instead. But there are some... While major auto manufacturers race to bring new electric and hybrid cars to market, other companies are looking at alternatives to electricity - including using air to power cars. The idea of an air-powered car is nothing new, and companies have been touting the technology for the past few years but for now not much has emerged in the way of a production model, largely due to flaws with the design of the vehicles. In fact, many engineers are skeptical of the technology's use, as the energy required to power air-compressors in air-powered cars is massive compared to using that energy in an electric battery instead. But there are some distinct advantages to be found in the use of air-powered cars, namely their relative inexpensiveness when compared to complex hybrids and electric vehicles. One such champion of this aspect of air-powered cars is the CEO of Zero Pollution Motors, a start-up that has developed its own compressed-air car that it hopes to bring to U.S shores by 2011. Heading up the company is Shiva Vencat, who says that while the "whole wide world" may criticize air-powered cars, at the end of the cars such as the Chevrolet Volt need a "massive lithium-ion battery" and hence the final cost to consumers skyrockets. Conversely, Vencat claims that his compressed-air car will ultimately cost around $18,000 to $20,000 when it arrives in the U.S., or around $15,000 less than the upcoming Volt is expected to cost. This saving comes from not having to implement a complex electrical system in the car, and saving on battery costs. Air-powered cars work by using an air compressor to pressurize air in the car’s tank. When the car is driven at low speeds, the air is released, pushing the pistons up and down as in a conventional gasoline engine without the need for gasoline to provide combustion. At higher speeds the ZPM uses a small conventional motor to heat up the air in order to release it more quickly, as well as to compress more air to extend the range of the car. The problem with this, as pointed out by numerous experts, is that plugging an air-powered car into a wall to compress air is inherently less efficient than plugging an electric car into the wall instead. The Zero Pollutions Motor air-car uses around six times as much electricity to cover the same distance as the Chevrolet Volt - ultimately, which one appeals to consumers will depend on their own needs but its not impossible to think of certain segments that could find an air-powered car useful. As for the stats behind Zero Pollution Motors' compressed-air car, they read as impressively as any current electric car - seating for six people, fuel economy of 106mpg and 75hp from its six-cylinder engine, as well as a driving range of close to 850 miles.Zero Pollution Motors AIRPod Read More

German tuning firm Cargraphic recently revealed its specially designed Airlift system for the 996 and 997 Porsche 911 models, which essentially allows drivers to lower and raise the front of their cars to avoid obstacles on the road. Now, the company has given rally legend and regular Porsche test driver Walter Röhrl one of its Porsche 997 Turbo GT models to fling around a track and help finetune its latest suspension system.

The Airlift system operates at the front suspension through a wireless remote controlled by the driver. The system can raise the car by up to 55mm, helping to avoid front-side scrapes on kerbs and driveways but still... German tuning firm Cargraphic recently revealed its specially designed Airlift system for the 996 and 997 Porsche 911 models, which essentially allows drivers to lower and raise the front of their cars to avoid obstacles on the road. Now, the company has given rally legend and regular Porsche test driver Walter Röhrl one of its Porsche 997 Turbo GT models to fling around a track and help finetune its latest suspension system. The Airlift system operates at the front suspension through a wireless remote controlled by the driver. The system can raise the car by up to 55mm, helping to avoid front-side scrapes on kerbs and driveways but still allowing the car to sit as low as possible when it's on the track. Perhaps most important of all, Cargraphic’s Airlift can be fitted directly to all 996 and 997 Porsche 911s with Bilstein shock absorbers, and unlike many lowering systems Porsche's PASM system will still operate in conjunction with it. Röhrl’s assessment was that Airlift had no detrimental effects on the handling or performance of the car in any way. With the endorsement Röhrl, who tested the Airlift system should appeal to any Porsche owner who finds themselves wincing every time they hear that all-too-familiar crunching noise. Additionally, Cargraphic plans to extend its Airlift program by developing systems for other cars. With work on the Porsche 911 system completed, the company will now be turning to the Audi R8 though no release dates have been announced.Walter Röhrl tests Cargraphic Airlift system for Porsche’s 911 Read More

A team from a west London university is claiming to have found the holy grail of the automotive world - a cheap, simple method to turn ordinary combustion engines into hybrid vehicles that run on air.

The team from the Institute of Engineering and Design at Brunel University have developed a way to harness the energy that is usually wasted when an engine uses its natural compression to decelerate. During this process, pistons in the engine can work to compress air, and eventually store this compressed air in a tank located in the car.

Then, at the appropriate time, the air will be used for possible turbocharging requirements or to power... A team from a west London university is claiming to have found the holy grail of the automotive world - a cheap, simple method to turn ordinary combustion engines into hybrid vehicles that run on air. The team from the Institute of Engineering and Design at Brunel University have developed a way to harness the energy that is usually wasted when an engine uses its natural compression to decelerate. During this process, pistons in the engine can work to compress air, and eventually store this compressed air in a tank located in the car. Then, at the appropriate time, the air will be used for possible turbocharging requirements or to power the pistons themselves, depending on what each engine required. Best of all, the technology is said to be simple and cheap, and that normal engines that we find in our cars today would only require small changes to become air hybrid cars. Professor Hua Zhao, who is heading up the team, stated that the technology was a "major breakthrough", but it must be tested with vehicle manufacturers first to determine its viability. This isn't the first time a group has been claiming to have developed a cheap, simple method of improving fuel economy, and often times claims like this one are treated with a healthy skepticism - however this time, considering the source of the technology, we're a little more confident that this air hybrid business may just make it off the chalkboard and into your car someday. Read More

Earlier this week we saw reports emerge claiming that Germany’s RUF was working on an all-electric version of the Porsche Cayman, and now we have details about a Porsche Boxster that has been converted to run on compressed air. The converted Porsche is called the MIIN-AER Boxster and it made its world debut at the recently held Alternative Car and Transportation (AltCar) Expo in California.

The air-powered Porsche is the creation of Silicon Valley start up GIMM and is based on a 1999 model Boxster. The car houses a number of air storage tanks in its front trunk and is powered by a new-generation drivetrain that uses compressed air... Earlier this week we saw reports emerge claiming that Germany’s RUF was working on an all-electric version of the Porsche Cayman, and now we have details about a Porsche Boxster that has been converted to run on compressed air. The converted Porsche is called the MIIN-AER Boxster and it made its world debut at the recently held Alternative Car and Transportation (AltCar) Expo in California. The air-powered Porsche is the creation of Silicon Valley start up GIMM and is based on a 1999 model Boxster. The car houses a number of air storage tanks in its front trunk and is powered by a new-generation drivetrain that uses compressed air multiple times for propulsion. The car features an innovative energy recovery system, which emits no pollution, and involves a simple multi-chambered motor with only six moving parts and no pistons. “We’ve developed a way to add energy to the system from the ambient environment,” said the company’s CEO Glenn Bell. According to GIMM, the car has a top speed of 65mph and can travel approximately 50 miles, depending on load and speed, on a full tank of air compressed by about 25 kilowatt hours of electricity. Filling the tanks take about 10 minutes using an air compressor capable of 4,500psi. GIMM is still protecting most of the drivetrain’s design secrets, but plans to start licensing the technology by early next year. The company is now actively seeking collaborative partners and investors, both in the United States and overseas. Via: Autoblog GreenGIMM air-powered Porsche 2008 Read More