With the increasing prices of petroleum based fuels - most notably gasoline, the motoring public is looking for ways to improve the fuel efficiency of their cars. Different aftermarket products are easily available to them and the use of which can dramatically increase their car's fuel efficiency. For those who are planning to buy cars, they may opt for alternative fuel powered vehicles or a hybrid electric vehicle like the Toyota Prius.
A car's wide array of components plays roles in the fuel efficiency of a vehicle just like the Volvo S40 parts that determine how an S40 performs. One of the parts in the wide array of vehicle components that can contribute to better fuel economy is the tires although the fact is commonly overlooked except by a knowledgeable few.
While the fact that the tires play a major role in the fuel efficiency of a car is always overlooked, the US Energy Department stated that by having under inflated tires, we lose as much as two million gallons of gasoline everyday. The most commonly used gas to inflate a car's tire is oxygen. The use of ordinary gas can lead to faster diffusion which will result to an under inflated tire. The answer to this predicament is the use of nitrogen. Since nitrogen diffuses slower than oxygen and is more abundant, the gas is a logical solution to the problem.
TireLast System, a company located in Lafayette, Colorado, capitalized on this and developed their UltraAir nitrogen. The UltraAir nitrogen gas is a compressed gas devoid of oxygen and moisture.
The use of UltraAir results to lesser diffusion and therefore reduces the incidences of under inflated tires. The use of UltraAir is so successful that the company received requests for a self-service nitrogen tire filling station. The company is, of course, glad to oblige. This is evident in their development of an UltraAir Nitrogen Vending Machine which is card operated for use by car and light truck owners.
The vending machine will be featuring a smart card that users can use to pay for the amount of nitrogen gas consumed as well as for the microprocessor which controls the tire filling capability of the machine. The vending machines will employ a VendiPay prepaid card which will be available in stores soon. The availability of such machines allows car owners to fill their tires and pay for them easily and relatively inexpensively. The machines will be manufactured in Colorado and will soon be available for the eagerly waiting motoring public.
Aside from the fact that nitrogen diffuses slower than oxygen, the UltraAir Nitrogen is also devoid of moisture. The presence of moist air inside a car's tire is a reason for some tire blowouts. The effect of moist air inside a tire is it weakens the tire's internal steel belts. Therefore, using UltraAir that is devoid of any moisture, motorists are less prone to having tire blowouts which can be a very inconvenient predicament. The use of UltraAir will not only lead to longer diffusion of the tires but also protect the internal steel belts of the tires.
The use of nitrogen on car tires as a pressurizing agent would definitely decrease the number of vehicles out in the road today with under inflated tires. It has been estimated that 30 to 50 percent of all vehicles currently being employed has at least on tire which is under inflated. With this in mind and the fact that a tire's condition affects the fuel efficiency of a car, the use of nitrogen in tires will surely be welcomed.
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