If air powered cars can be a reality then why not motorcycles running on compressed air. Researchers Yu-Ta Shen and Yean-Ren Hwang of the National Central University in Taiwan have developed an air-powered motorcycle, which uses the energy in compressed air, rather than gas, to drive the motor. Like every major South Asian country, Taiwan too suffers from heavy air pollution and around 20% is contributed by motorcycles and scooters whose emissions are worse than cars and SUV's. The prototype bike holds around two and a half gallons of compressed air which is good enough to carry the bike and the driver for about three-quarters of a mile while spewing out nothing but air from the exhaust pipe. The tank size will be increased to give about 20 miles of running without a refill. Large-scale adoption of the new technology could take a big bite out of air pollution in Taiwan.

It is not fully green as the motorcycle requires energy to compress the air needed to power the engine. The energy if coming from a coal fired plant puts a big question mark on it being environmental friendly.

Via - Discovery News