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Craft Project by Paulista Technician Uses Air Force to Assist Engine and Achieve Up to 20 km/l on the Road Without Batteries or Traditional Electrification
A project developed artisanally in the interior of São Paulo has sparked curiosity, debates, and thousands of comments on social media. The proposal is, at the very least, bold: a hybrid combustion car that uses air force to ease the engine’s effort and reduce fuel consumption.
According to the creator, the system could achieve an average consumption of up to 20 km/l on highways, without resorting to additional batteries or electric motors.
The person behind the idea is Roberval Cozzolino, a combustion engine technician from Indaiatuba (SP), who claims to have found a simple way to transform virtually any vehicle into a hybrid, be it combustion or electric.
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UOL Carros interviewed the inventor to understand how this technology works and what its limits are.
A Different Concept of Hybrid Car
For Cozzolino, the definition of a hybrid car goes beyond the combination of electric and combustion engines.
According to him, whenever a vehicle uses two or more distinct means of generating movement in combination, it can be considered hybrid, regardless of the energy source involved.
In this reasoning, the force of moving air becomes another active element in generating torque, directly assisting the main engine. The proposal, therefore, distances itself from traditional hybrids and opens up a space for a concept that has been little explored in the automotive sector.
How the So-Called “Air Hybrid Car” Works
The system created by Roberval consists of a gear equipped with blades that spins driven by the airflow.
Before reaching this gear, the air passes through a funnel-shaped duct system, responsible for capturing, accelerating, and directing the flow.
The inventor named the solution Airmix Hybrid. During the development phase, he claims it was measured that the speed of the air can be approximately four times higher than the speed of the vehicle itself.
Thus, when the car travels at 100 km/h, the air would reach about 400 km/h within the system.
Mechanical Integration to the Engine
The gear is linked to the camshaft pulley, which in turn connects to the crankshaft via a timing belt or timing chain, responsible for transferring the engine’s movement to the gearbox.
Still, Roberval explains that the system could be connected to any component that rotates with the engine.
In the case of electric cars, the proposal would be to couple the mechanism directly to the electric motor, maintaining the same principle of harnessing the kinetic energy of the air to assist the assembly.
Tests on a Volkswagen Van
To demonstrate the viability of the idea, the technician installed the system on a Volkswagen van equipped with a 1.6 carbureted engine.
According to him, between 80 km/h and 100 km/h, the air acquires sufficient pressure to help the engine move with an additional force of 20 Nm, equivalent to about 2 kgfm.
This force is compared by Cozzolino to that generated by a Yamaha FZ25 engine, which has 250 cm³. The gain, according to the inventor, is directly reflected in the consumption.
Significant Gain on the Road, Little Effect in the City
According to Roberval, the observed result was a reduction of up to 60% in fuel consumption on highways, with the van achieving 20 km/l.
In urban use, the effects would be null or practically imperceptible, as the system relies on speed to generate sufficient pressure.
The creator himself acknowledges that the best results appear at constant speeds, typical of highways.
What Traffic Legislation Says
From a legal standpoint, any modification to the original design of a vehicle must be submitted to the Detran inspection, according to Marco Fabrício Vieira, a traffic law specialist, writer, and advisor to Cetran-SP.
He explains that adding components that influence power, such as turbochargers, for example, requires technical approval.
In the specific case of the van used as a prototype, there is also a large nozzle exiting the engine compartment that protrudes from the vehicle, which characterizes a structural alteration and not just an aesthetic one.
Public Interest and the Inventor’s Positioning
According to Roberval Cozzolino, several people in Brazil and around the world have contacted him to ask if he would apply the project to other cars, seeking fuel savings or performance gains.
However, he states that he does not intend to offer the installation directly to consumers.
His intention, as he explains, is to present the technology to automakers. For him, the industry is very focused on electronics and the mixture of air and fuel, important areas but one that already offers little room for new gains.
Inspiration and Next Steps
Roberval shares that the idea arose from a reflection on how to relieve the load on the engine, as much energy is lost to overcome air resistance and move auxiliary systems.
Inspired by sailing vessels still used in cargo ships, he spent about two years developing the prototype.
The inventor emphasizes that each car would require specific rotors and duct systems, which would demand an extensive approval process.
When asked if he has approached any automaker, he says that, for now, he prefers to wait and see if companies will show interest in meeting him.
The project, according to him, was created solely to materialize a concept and prove that the idea is feasible, opening up space for future developments.
With information from UOL.
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Cuidado!
A questão mais importante que deveria deveria ter sido respondida na materia: foi patenteado?
pelo amor esta tecnologia ja nem pode se chamar de tecnologia ja existe desde a década de 70 e saiu nos fiestas supercharger… aos leigos Chargers são rotacionados por carreia integrados a polia do motor como o ar condicionado e a direção Hidráulica, gera um fluxo de ar e aumenta propulsão no motor assim como um turbo que ja utiliza gases de escapamento para gerar fluxo ambos tem função de devolver ar ao motor em fluxo maior elevando a potência e aumentando a economia
Acho que você não entendeu a proposta do projeto, ele não admite ar na combustão pra elevar rotação e sim corre de mãos dadas com o giro do motor dando uma ajuda pra ficar mais leve a árvore de manivelas.