Evington man can't wait to get hands on 'air car'

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 catches on in the U.S. market, contacting everyone from his congressman to car manufacturers to encourage its use.

After Evans’ efforts, one congressman has asked the manufacturer of the “air car” to locate in Southside Virginia.

Former Formula One racecar engineer Guy Negre founded MDI Enterprises in Europe in 1991 to develop an engine to run on compressed air.

The U.S. arm of MDI, Zero Pollution Motors, plans to introduce a six-seater powered by compressed air to the U.S. market in 2010.

According to Zero Pollution Motors, drivers could fill up the tanks at air machines used to fill tires for about $2 and drive more than 800 miles, reaching top speeds over 90 miles per hour.

Evans learned about the technology a year ago through a Discovery Channel show. It immediately piqued his interest.

“I thought it was an excellent thing to have here in the U.S.,” Evans said. He saw it as a way to save on fuel costs and decrease the nation’s dependence on oil.

Evans started writing to leaders in Washington and Richmond as well as vehicle manufacturers and the U.S. Postal Service to encourage efforts to bring the invention to the U.S.

In the letters he included a link to a YouTube video of the Discovery Channel “Beyond Tomorrow” episode featuring the 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 May asking for information.

Goode said in an interview last week that he had heard of the air car before, but the letter from Evans informed him that Zero Pollution Motors planned to expand operations to the U.S.

Goode said he’d like to see the company set up shop in Southside Virginia. “Any new business and industry that could come 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 car companies asking them to consider the region.

Others have responded as well. The Virginia Economic Development Partnership recently assigned one official to encourage the company to locate in Virginia.

Wherever they’re made, Evans just hopes that enough air cars get produced so they can penetrate the market and one can find its way to his street.

He’s also asked Honda, Ford, General Motors and Toyota to put the 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,” Evans said.

Not having driven the air-powered car, Evans said he doesn’t know first-hand how good it is. Also, he’s heard some concerns about the car’s ability to maintain highway speeds.

But he said his desire to have them on American roads is more about having the country spend less money on oil.

“When they go on sale in the Lynchburg area, I want to be one of the first ones to knock on the door,” he said.

David Evans