Jim Chinnis wrote:

> Joseph Oberlander > wrote in part:
>
>
>>
>>Bill Putney wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Did anyone hear the report I heard the other day on the radio about some
>>>research being done (somewhere in S.A. I think) into using compressed
>>>air to power a vehicle.
>>
>>Been done. Several years ago in France. Works quite well, too.
>
>
> Many energy storage methods have been tried over the years. In the
> 70s, engineers thought that new ceramic materials might make
> flywheels capable of sufficient energy density. They were wrong.

This is seeing use. It's cheaper to compress air with an electric
motor. There's no pollution, no fuel storage problems, no
chemicals(batteries) - it's just two huge air tanks and
a really huge version of the air engines you see in those
flying toy airplanes.

That they can go that far - it's impressive. Beats all
other technologies for urban use as well, since the
tanks could be refilled at a "station" in minutes instead
of hours like batteries.