BBC News video: Air Car out "by end of year," in Europe, for 3,500 Euros
BBC News has done a report on the Air Car recently that shares some exciting details. First, release: The BBC confirms the car will be released by the "end of year" (as the Age reported) and adds it will be released in Europe and India. Second, the cost: just 3,500 Euros which, considering that's the price of the "cheapest model" and conversion rates, somewhat in line with the cost reported by the Age: $8,000AU. Lastly, details: The BBC News also says the car will go 124 miles on a fill-up that will cost 1.5 Euros and will take just a few minutes. This is not a neighborhood electric vehicle because the car will have a top speed of 68 MPH. I can't wait for an announcement about the date and price for an American release!Related:
[Source: YouTube, Raw Story]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Paul Ryan 9:25PM (3/04/2008)
I created CATvolution.com for people who want to help bring these cars to North America. It's a low-key site for volunteers to spread the Air Car word.
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Charlie 10:19PM (11/25/2008)
Yet another announcement by the BBC about the MDI air car going into production "this year".
BBC --- what happened to the cars in these two articles you published in 2000 ?????? What happened to the cars that were supposed to be in mass production by MDI and Zero Pollution Motors back in 2002 ?????
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/988265.stm and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/992431.stm
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matt from Europe 11:21AM (1/05/2009)
This is strange - every two years I hear about air cars... and noithing happens - even when the gas prices is skyrocketing (not now, but just a month or so ago)...
What is so obscure in it, that it is NOT starting? i'd buy with pleasure a car on air, especially a cheap one - and I do not need a high speed at all!
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Charlie 8:15PM (5/24/2009)
A few comments above, the author of this article, Lascelles Linton said "Until they are totally proven wrong or change their statements, I won't update the article."
We are now in late May 2009. It is clear that MDI will not introduce this car in 2008.
Time to update the article. Or will you wait until the end of 2009 before acknowledging that they aren't going to deliver in 2008.
This is not anything new. MDI also failed to deliver in 2001, in 2002, in 2004, in 2005, in 2006, and in 2007. These were all "expected to be on sale" dates for previous MDI cars. They still have not sold a single vehicle.
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Dave 12:12PM (1/05/2008)
The EU is gonna have a heck of a time figuring out a way to tax compressed air.
;)
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ecolo Trader 8:16AM (9/17/2008)
FLOWAIR 'll drive the next year in 2009 in France : South of france
http://www.ecolo-trader.fr/La-voiture-a-air-comprime-FLOWAIR-a-Toulouse-vtptc-135.php
TG 2:07PM (1/05/2008)
Answer to Dave [1], Road taxes will likely be collected using quarterly odometer readings.
A fair method because it relates exactly to degree of roadways use.
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Dad 3:51PM (1/05/2008)
Does an Air Car need air bags ;-)
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rgseidl 5:07PM (1/05/2008)
The propulsion technology could prove a godsend for developing countries like India that are at the cusp of progressing from two-wheeled to four-wheeled vehicles. The latter are safer and more comfortable in the rain but also require more fuel and more space to drive and park.
Governments may therefore have to start reserving lanes for powered rikshas and jitneys (share cabs) just to avoid complete gridlock in their inner cities. Running on compressed air would eliminate the serious air quality problems associated with diesels and two-stroke gasoline engines. Acceleration and top speed are secondary considerations when traffic is moving very slowly anyhow.
The multi-stage compressors and intercoolers could be powered electrically or, by an ICE running on natural or biogas. Note that the compressed air is stored in composite tanks at moderate temperatures and reaches temperatures well below ambient at the end of the thermodynamic cycle. This can be exploited for air conditioning a quiet, closed passenger compartment while the vehicle is moving. An additional latent cold store (aka block of ice) may be used to buffer the cold energy and sustain A/C for up to a minute whenever the vehicle has to stop.
However, however good the soundproofing inside, compressed air engines do still emit a lot more exterior noise than four-stroke ICEs. Indeed, this alone may prevent the technology from gaining significant market share in Europe, where noise emissions from four-wheelers are subject to regulations. Btw, the di Pietro rotary air motor from Australia may perform better in this respect than MDI's conventional piston-based design.
http://www.engineair.com.au/airmotor.htm
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Throwback 7:20PM (1/05/2008)
Having been to India, complete gridlock is already in full effect. I can't imagine how much worse the traffic will be when Indians start buying cars in greater numbers. The infrastructure of the country is terrible.
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DCC80919 4:50PM (1/08/2008)
I can't wait for corporate america to embrace this one. "Now available in the U.S." is an expression you will grow old waiting to hear.
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calebe 2:47PM (1/21/2008)
I have five dollars bet that this will never come to the USA. Greed and Gluttony will keep it away.
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GreyFlcn 1:40AM (1/22/2008)
Those specs sound incorrect to me.
Looked more like 30mph topspeed, and a 90 mile range.
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/3526
http://anz.theoildrum.com/node/3388
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Chris M 3:16AM (1/22/2008)
A lot of cheapskates are getting excited, thinking that they can just fill up at any gas station tire air pump for free, but they don't realize that the standard air compressors only go to 150 psi, and the air car needs 4,500 psi. Yep, a really expensive special compressor is needed, and there will be a substantial charge to refill.
As for performance, this vehicle could go 124 miles on a single fillup, or go 68 mph, but not both. The efficiency and range drops significantly at higher speeds.
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Lascelles Linton 9:15AM (1/23/2008)
GreyFlcn, Nothing said in the BBC reports or Age article has been impeached totally. For example, they could release a low speed car this year and say, a car with better specs later. So technically, what they said is true. Also, if they make a factory and start producing motors then cars, when they say we will start production this year in our car factory is not wrong either. Anyway, I don't think they will get a low speed car out or a factory online. Until they are totally proven wrong or change their statements, I won't update the article. I think it would be a little unfair to update with my doubts about their release when the BBC and Age thought it was okay and I did at at the time too.
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