A fastener driving apparatus includes a power source, a control circuit, a motor, a first cylinder, a first piston, a linear motion converter, a second cylinder, a second piston, an anvil, a valve arrangement and at least one sensor. During a compression stroke, the first piston is configured to compress gas in a first cylinder to a predetermined pressure. At the predetermined pressure, the valve arrangement assumes an open position for communicating the compressed gas to the second cylinder, thereby causing the second piston to move linearly and enabling the anvil to drive the fastener into the workpiece. During a return stroke, at a predetermined position of the first piston in the first cylinder, the valve arrangement assumes the open position for communicating a vacuum created in the first cylinder to the second cylinder and thereby causing the second piston and the anvil to retract to their initial positions.