While it sometimes feels like the push towards clean energy is just something that has been around for five or so years, many automakers were making solid efforts more than 15 years ago. In fact, back in 2010, Toyota engineers were working on something that at the time left everyone feeling skeptical but that has finally seen the light of day, an engine that ran entirely on compressed air. At the time the company was already making inroads with electric vehicles thanks to the very first hybrid in the market, the Toyota Prius, but this new engine was something completely different and unexpected.
Instead of plugging in to charge or filling up at the pump, this concept car could be powered by compressed air from the atmosphere requiring no lithium batteries to mine, no gasoline to burn, just a refill of air and off you go. That is just how one of the engineers working on the project put it, “There’s no need to wait for a charge. You just refill the air tank and go.”
At the time the project went seemingly nowhere, as it was seen as a quirky experiment that would not work. Bu the times have changed a lot in 15 years and now the electric vehicle world has evolved beyond our wildest dreams at the time and is oversaturated with models, and weighed down by a growing list of criticisms. One of the main questions that is being raised is how sustainable electric cars really are, especially with all the rare earth metals and battery waste involved, but Toyota’s compressed air engine could set a different path forward.
The new/old Toyota engine that works on compressed air
The original prototype came from Kyoto University (KU) and was produced in collaboration with Toyota. It could go up to 200 kilometers on a full tank of compressed air, which does not seem like a lot, but it was at the time and many electric vehicles nowadays would be hard pressed to double that distance. The theory was that the distance would not be a problem as the tank could be filled in minutes in a regular gas station, without having to wait for a battery to charge.
It was a very lightweight car, which aimed to squeeze out maximum efficiency with minimal waste and was geared towards places with limited or unstable electricity. This has not changed, and in developing countries where electric vehicle infrastructure is practically nonexistent, compressed air could be a real game-changer. Plus, it barely produces any pollution and it would be quite easy to fix by any qualified mechanic unlike modern vehicles.
This car would also relieve the pressure to mine rare earth elements as compressed air engine would not need any of these materials. But the technology is not perfect and since it was never explored more than just as an experiment, the same issues that it had back then are still relevant now. Storage safety and overall energy efficiency have always been the weak points, and while material science has come a long way since 2010 and the idea is a lot more viable than it used to be, there would still be quirks to navigate.
But that is not necessarily a bad thing, as we are constantly looking for new ideas to help improve our pollution and mobility issues, and if going back to the drawing board and experimenting with different types of engines gets us to a place where we can have a better automotive industry, we should take the chance. Plus, a compressed air engine does sound like it could be a fun drive, which is always one of the main perks for those who enjoy speed.