longtimeagocompany.com

Drivers often joke their used auto “is running on fumes,” when the tank gets low. Well, how about an engine that actually gets its energy from gasoline fumes? Or, tired of looking for parking space? Well, someone has dreamed up an all-electric car so thin it can compete with motorcycles for the gaps between SUVs. And no need to fill up on expensive gasoline anymore - one would-be Henry Ford wants to build an engine that runs on compressed air, the stuff that fills your tires. Naturally, it’s called the Air Car. All of these ideas - some with actual tires on the ground - are entered for the Progressive Automotive X Prize, an international competition that will award $10 million to the first team that can build and bring to market a car that gets the equivalent of 100 miles per gallon. So far, no major auto company has said it’ll compete, although some have said they are curious and might kick a few tires when no one is looking.