Man invents air-powered motorcycle in garage

We love backyard inventors. Sometimes, we have to take things we hear from them with a grain of salt, though.

Like, if someone told me that they made a motorcycle that was powered by air, I might not immediately believe them. But looking at this bike, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that it:

1. Was built in someone's garage.
2. Works exactly as described.
3. Is powered 100% by air.

Of course, when I say "works exactly as described," the description isn't all that exciting. The top speed is about 18 mph, and it can only go 7 miles before the air pressure runs out.

But this is, after all, a guy in his garage ... a lot more power could probably be pulled by tweaking his configuration.

Jem Stansfield, a University of Bristol graduate with a degree in aeronautics, created the bike by strapping two high-pressure tanks onto the side of his Puch moped. The tanks are basically scuba tanks. He uses the (yes, mostly coal-fired) electricity from his house to fill the tanks. The power is then "stored" there, much like a battery, ready for use.

There are several advantages to using air pressure to store energy vs. batteries. First, compressors can recharge air tanks faster than batteries can be recharged, Stansfield says his tanks recharge in "seconds."

Another advantage is that air tanks are, overall, very simple things. Though to be able to store a lot of energy in a small place, they need to be extremely strong. Jem's are carbon-fiber tanks of the sort used by firefighters for oxygen. But still, they're far cheaper than even the lead acid battery you've got in your car now.

Of course, MDI is way farther along in developing air-powered vehicles, with sales set to begin in 2010 and a hybrid version on the horizon as well.

Via MotorCycleNews (careful, it crashed my browser!)