Yet another video and more information about the AirCar
The MDI AirCar is not recent news. There have been lots of articles in different media relating the wonders of a vehicle that works with compressed air. The air goes to the engine and the pressure, modulated with the throttle, determines the speed. This offers, in theory, quite a number of advantages: zero tailpipe emissions and a cheap way to store the air with a dedicated compressor that fills the air tanks in 3-4 hours (according to the designer). A summary of the characteristics of this vehicle are:
- Two types of engines: Hybrid (compressed air and a thermic engine that switches on from 30mph) and City (just compressed air). The latter is suitable as a neighbourhood vehicle (no-driver's license required in some European countries) and able to run in Central London for free
- The announced performance numbers: Minicat: 3-4 hours recharge (from standard European 230V plug) or 2 minutes if using a high-compressed air station. 25 HP, a maximum speed of 110 km/h (68 mph) and a range of 150 km (90 miles). That's the last model announced on their website
- Different versions: urban car, micro car (about the size of the Smart), a panel van, a taxi (shown) and a pick-up (about the size of a Fiat Panda).
However, although it looks like a feasible technology, there are some concerns about what is going on at MDI.
Related:
- The Air Car Can Blow You Away
- A new agreement between Tata Motors and MDI bring the air-car closer to reality
- India's Tata Motors and France's MDI sign agreement to build compressed air-powered cars
- Old video of air-powered car making the rounds at YouTube
[Source: Popular Science, MDI; Thanks to David B. for the tip]
First, the car has been announced to be put on sale quite a number of times. At their site they have press releases for launches in 2001, 2002, 2004 (as said in one of our past posts about this car), 2005 and we have recently got news that it would be built in India with the colaboration of Tata Motors. MDI's website also speaks a few times about the construction of factories in a few cities around Spain. Actually, most of the press releases are in Spanish - being MDI based in France.
The FAQ announce a price of 6890 EUR (about 9250 USD) for the MiniCat and 9450 (12500 USD) for the CityCat - No VAT and other taxes weren't included. You can buy a stripped-down Dacia Logan for 7500 (VAT included).
If you want to purchase the car, the website offers a form that promises to get back in touch with further informations once the factories are settled. Does this mean MDI couldn't find yet authorisations to build those factories? Could it mean they didn't have enough investors?
Anyway, here's the link for a 2005 video from "Beyond tomorrow" where they show the car in motion. It's quite enjoyable
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John Rowell 12:06AM (6/01/2007)
* steps on soap box *
It looks really bad when you make the browser resize the image. Please leave the size alone or resize it in your image editor first.
* steps off of soap box *
(sorry, but as a professional web designer whenever I see this it really gets on my nerves)
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Jenny 8:53AM (6/01/2007)
Air car is the future of automobile industry. Who will ignore if you
can power your engine by air. Maybe we can also setup our own filling
station in future when technology develops. It's time to say Goodbye
to oil and OPEC ;)
Jenny
http://www.spaml.com
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Phil L. 9:11AM (6/01/2007)
Jenny -
Well - the air car isn't truly *powered* by air. It simply uses air to store some other energy source.
Yes, you can set up a filling station - but it will need its own energy source.
Does it really make sense to use compressed air to store energy as opposed to the myriad of other choices available? I don't claim to have that answer. We need to look at all of them - and understand the advantages; disadvantages; environmental impact; inefficiencies; etc. It's fairly safe to state that claiming one particular technology is "the future" is a gross oversimplification.
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Tim 9:15AM (6/01/2007)
The future will bring many competing technologies. The information age will allow each person to choose which best suits their individual needs. Free market forces work as long as ignorant and ambitious politicians don't kill competition.
Leftists and Neocons need to understand that Gov't exists to kill monopolies and promote competition to nurture innovation and lowers costs. Of course, the world’s largest monopoly is the US Federal Gov’t and they are working hard to kill competition between the states and promote Federal dominance. So much for bottom-up government by & of the people…
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FantasyFreddy 4:43PM (6/01/2007)
should change rules in USA about what is allowed to be sold, with full disclosure of risks to purchaser.. this vehicle is way safer than most scooters, motorcyles, or bicycles, all of which are legally allowed on roads. and what a genius car!!! even looks cool!!
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George Krpan 12:09AM (6/02/2007)
From the speed and range of this car I would say that compressed air is a pretty efficient way to store energy. And, it requires no filthy batteries.
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Chris M 5:29PM (6/03/2007)
A few months ago, MDI was claiming a potential 240 Km range per fillup, based on a 7 Km test run with a substantial fudge factor added in. Now the claim has dropped to 150 Km, putting it in the "city car" class, with limited sales prospects.
The hybrid compressed air/petrol version may have a better range, but going "coast to coast" on one tank? Not unless it is a tanker truck. Sounds like an even bigger fudge factor than the "7 Km stretched to 240 Km" fudge factor.
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aaron mays 11:11PM (6/03/2007)
make the citycat with 3 wheels and licinee it as a motorbike to get it in the usa.
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Richard 10:56AM (11/27/2007)
If you can't buy a air car to uue in the USA because of crash test can you buy the drive train to fit an auto of some kind here in the USA. A fried of mine purchased an electric motor to fit in his S-10 pickup and is driving it around town.
So is they wont let the MDI's car in, will they let the drive train in?
Thank you for any help Richard
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Irvin Klancky 7:11PM (11/27/2007)
Can these xars be bought in U.S.A. ?
No lead, no explosives, and no dependence on foreign oil.
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Irvin Klancky 7:41PM (11/27/2007)
Why haven; we heard about this car from the News Media? With this car we wouldn't have to purchase a #3500 battery every 3 or 4 years.
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