Going 80.3 mph on compressed air

Toyota has built the fasted vehicle with a compressed air engine.

(PhysOrg.com) -- Toyota Industries intends to apply for a Guiness World record for the fastest car driven by a compressed-air engine, after its Ku:Rin, as the vehicle is called, reached 129.2km/h (80.3 mph)on a test run earlier this month. This is a three-wheel, one-seater vehicle that broke the speed record for compressed air-powered vehicles at the Japan Automobile Research Institute test facility.

The Ku:Rin is yet another attempt to explore environmentally friendly modes of transport. The tank was filled using a conventional air-conditioner compressor manufactured by Toyota.

The car was developed at the company’s Dream Car Workshop, where its engineers made use of the principle of compressed air, which Toyota knows more than a little about. The company is recognized for its expertise in compressors that are part of air conditioners. Toyota turns out about 20 million compressors for car air-conditioners per year; the company is the world's largest supplier of car air- conditioner compressors, in addition to making automobiles, engines and electronics components.