I have one that runs off the car battery that'll fill up a car or motorcycle tire. I know you agree that filling up a tire is very different from moving a ton of vehicle (and that's a Smart car with two occupants). It takes about 15 minutes to fill an aluminum 80 cu ft tank properly to 3,000 psi, filling with the tank in a water bath to dissipate heat and provide some protection from a rupture. If you're doing a bunch, the mechanics of the whole thing are important and the compressor can run almost constantly, depending on the size of the bank. If you've used in an industrial environment you are probably familiar with this. The tank size and pressure, I think, would be prohibitive. I doubt that any amount of gas at 3,000 psi would insure that you could get a car underway, especially on a hill. Maybe electric assist. I'm not an engineer, just stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
Far as solar, it is not very efficient- it's sexy because the input is free. If it provided minimal benefit, Prius roofs would be made of solar cells if only to turn on the greenies. And if it were, it would be much more efficient (IMO) to do that- solar input to electric to electric storage and electric motors, not solar to electric to drive a compressor to pump air to impel a car.
Keep thinking, though- I will pay you $10,000 for a patentable idea!
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