A car that runs on air is being developed by engineers at a top British university.
The result is a new low-cost ‘air hybrid’ engine which significantly cuts emissions of carbon dioxide - the so-called greenhouse gas blamed for global warming - cuts fuel consumption by around 30 per cent and offers the driver of a family car fuel economy of around 65mpg.
The new Brunel engine uses the same principle. But in this case, the engine and the braking generates its own compressed air to provide the added boost to the car.
The work by Brunel University’s School of Engineering and Design in west London could lead to an engine which would be considerably cheaper and cleaner to run.
A spokeswoman for the Brunel team said: “The idea is that using the engine’s compression to brake the vehicle not only could slow the vehicle down, but also the pistons could compress air and drive it into a compressed air tank.”
She added: “Hybrid vehicles use engine management to save fuel. This includes switching off the engine when not in use, restarting the engine when needed and recovering the braking energy for other use.”
She added: “The fuel consumption benefits [miles per gallon] you’d get from an air hybrid engine are the same as you’d get from an electric hybrid engine. The top speed you could achieve would be exactly the same as the standard engine you modify to make the air hybrid engine.”
“So, if the car’s top speed is 110 mph, it will still be 110mph even if it uses air. The big advantage is that the air hybrid engine is much cheaper to make than an electric hybrid engine, so cars with air hybrid engines will be much more affordable.”
The Brunel team is now looking to test the scheme with vehicle manufacturers.
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