Evington man can’t wait to get hands on ‘air car’

Tag : Compressed Air Can

David Evans of Evington is willing — actually anxious —to give up his Toyota Prius hybrid that gets great gas mileage.
But only once he can get a car that runs on air.
And he’s doing everything he can to make sure the car catcheson in the U.S. market, contacting everyone from his congressman tocar manufacturers to encourage its use.
After Evans’ efforts, one congressman has asked themanufacturer of the “air car” to locate in SouthsideVirginia.
Former Formula One racecar engineer Guy Negre founded MDIEnterprises in Europe in 1991 to develop an engine to run oncompressed air.
The U.S. arm of MDI, Zero Pollution Motors, plans to introduce asix-seater powered by compressed air to the U.S. market in 2010.
According to Zero Pollution Motors, drivers could fill up the tanksat air machines used to fill tires for about $2 and drive more than800 miles, reaching top speeds over 90 miles per hour.
Evans learned about the technology a year ago through a DiscoveryChannel show. It immediately piqued his interest.
“I thought it was an excellent thing to have here in theU.S.,” Evans said. He saw it as a way to save on fuel costsand decrease the nation’s dependence on oil.
Evans started writing to leaders in Washington and Richmond as wellas vehicle manufacturers and the U.S. Postal Service to encourageefforts to bring the invention to the U.S.
In the letters he included a link to a YouTube video of theDiscovery Channel “Beyond Tomorrow” episode featuringthe air car.
“Nobody seemed interested at that time,” he said.
But that has changed.
U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode (R-Virginia) sent Evans a letter in late Mayasking for information.
Goode said in an interview last week that he had heard of the aircar before, but the letter from Evans informed him that ZeroPollution Motors planned to expand operations to the U.S.
Goode said he’d like to see the company set up shop inSouthside Virginia. “Any new business and industry that couldcome into the area, I think would be positive,” Goode said.“It would certainly create more jobs.”
Goode said he has written letters to two people in the air carcompanies asking them to consider the region.
Others have responded as well. The Virginia Economic DevelopmentPartnership recently assigned one official to encourage the companyto locate in Virginia.
Wherever they’re made, Evans just hopes that enough air carsget produced so they can penetrate the market and one can find itsway to his street.
He’s also asked Honda, Ford, General Motors and Toyota to putthe technology on their drawing boards.
Zero Pollution Motors plans on a limited production for the U.S.,but “I feel like they need to be nationwide,” Evanssaid.
Not having driven the air-powered car, Evans said he doesn’tknow first-hand how good it is. Also, he’s heard someconcerns about the car’s ability to maintain highway speeds.
But he said his desire to have them on American roads is more abouthaving the country spend less money on oil.
“When they go on sale in the Lynchburg area, I want to be oneof the first ones to knock on the door,” he said.