Member - AIRPower

The AIRPower sustainable all-electric powertrain system for class-8 trucks is designed to replace the truck’s diesel engine and transmission with electrically driven motors, generators, batteries, telemetry and software. Our proprietary technology would work well in retrofits as well as in new trucks. Class-8 trucks which make up 5% of all on-road vehicles, produce 28% of all transportation emissions and are responsible for 12% of total U.S. consumption of petroleum. Photovoltaic panels installed on the roof of the truck capture sunlight and converts it into electricity. The electricity is stored in a Lithium-ion battery. This battery is used to release compressed air stored in carbon fiber compressed air tanks to turn mechanical power from motors and generators into the electricity that runs the truck. The compressed air tanks are designed so that they can be refilled or they can be easily switched and replaced throughout the distribution network. The truck would create a net-zero carbon footprint. A key element of the powertrain batteryless energy storage system, is that the compressed air tanks are filled by using renewable energy. AIRPower offers a solution to renewable resources curtailment by using the excess supply of renewable energy and redistributing it. At solar and wind farms we would use the sun’s energy and ambient air as the power sources to electrify the air compressors. The air compressor would compress air which will be stored in underground caverns or in high-pressure tanks. We will use a similar method at hydroelectric power plants. We would purchase the renewable electricity at the cheapest time and we would lease space from the solar and wind farm and hydroelectric power plants location for our operations. Similar to the system of how diesel tankers move the fuel throughout the distribution network, we would create a distribution network where compressed air would be delivered by compressed air tankers to the final destination throughout the network. Most electric vehicle technologies in existence or in the planning stages, are based on plug-and-play battery system. The totally electric car then emits zero CO2. However, chances are that the electricity used to charge the batteries was generated by a nuclear, coal, or petroleum-based source. And electricity generation is responsible for 40% of all CO2 emissions. In addition, batteries are toxic and their disposal will become a huge challenge in the future. AIRPower goes further than reducing the medium and heavy-duty trucks’ emissions. Our goal is to use sustainable resources to power clean technology. AIRPower is a startup being developed in collaboration with Cornell University and Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States.