All across the nation, jaws dropped in a collective gasp as markets plummeted as fast as GM’s popularity after “Who Killed the Electric Car?” showboated corporate scandal on a scale only rivaled by Big Auto and Big Oil’s dismantling of electric trolleys.
If it were not for the multitude of requests I’ve recently received to write about the Moteur Developpement International Air Car I would have loved to devote my weekly Green Chip Review slot to articulate my utter abhorrence of the economic reality that is rearing its sub-prime-pocked head and baring its needle sharp canines in the face of asinine fiscal policy.
But, in times of great distress I remember my colleague’s catchphrase, “periods of danger and crisis are also periods of great opportunity,” and as you can imagine, that is much more comforting than pulling a Jim Cramer and crumpling into a sobbing, gibbering, sweating mess on the office floor.
So come along my friends, hike up your skirts and take a line from the Foreign Legion, “March or die.” That’s right, onward to one of the most promising technologies of today . . . a car that runs on compressed air.
Compressed Air Technology is nothing new. Since 1896 when Rudolf Diesel made a patent claim for using a supercharger to provide a more dense charge of air to the first diesel engine, compressed air has been used to up power output in almost every internal combustion application.
1994 changed the entire name of the CAT game. Instead of using compressed air to force feed more oxygen and fuel to the engine, ex-Formula 1 designer Guy Negre of Nice, France, devised a way to make a car run purely on air. It can be refilled at modified air compressors found at gas stations for about $2 in only a matter of minutes.
If a compressor is not readily available, the Air Car can simply be plugged into an outlet and an on-board compressor can refill the tanks in about four hours, giving it a range of approximately 124 miles with a top speed of 68 mph.
Now, due to the sensitive nature of revealing how such a technology works, MDI has offered limited information on the drive system.
Here’s a brief rundown . . .
The Engine
To maintain adequate pressure so that the main large cylinder is given a burst of pressure instead of a continuous slow push, a smaller cylinder is used to build pressure.
As the smaller piston collects the air and travels downward on its stroke the “articulated con-rod” lets this smaller piston rotate its rod on the crankshaft while allowing the main piston to be held at top dead center 70% of the time, until the smaller piston reaches the bottom of its stroke. Then the blast of air is delivered, driving the main piston down.
A bit tricky to put into words, so here’s a video with the MDI engine on the right . . .
The Gear Box
The automatic, computer-controlled transmission is an in-house design of MDI that constantly monitors the speed of the vehicle and shifts with minimal loss of energy.
Moto-Alternator
Located between the engine and the gear box, the moto-alternator produces brake power, starts the vehicle, provides extra power when needed and helps the CAT’s motor to allow the tanks to be refilled.
The Air Tanks
Constructed of carbon fiber, the three massive air storage tanks will not explode when damaged, which is a good thing considering they keep 4,000 psi under wraps. The fibers are designed to split apart and allow the pressure to drop without blowout.
The Body
The body is built with fiber and injected foam, offering several major advantages.
- Reduced cost
Reduced weight
Easier repair
No rust
And arguably safer because the fiber body won’t crumple and cut like steel.
So, finally, after 14 years of research and development, the Air Car is ready for production in India under MDI’s new partnership with Tata (NYSE:TTM) Motors, the leading automobile manufacturer in The Land of the Tiger.
Called the MiniCAT, the Air Car for India is poised for success under this new partnership. With a cost of about $3,800, the car is affordable and will benefit from Tata’s stellar reputation—a reputation that has led to over four million of their vehicles being sold, totaling $5.5 billion from 2005-06.
So what does the future hold for the Air Car?
It was believed that the MDI Air Car would hit the showroom floors in Australia, Europe and India by the end of this year.
But recently, in the Mumbai Mirror, this was reported . . .
When contacted, Tata Motors’ Debasis Ray, who heads the company’s corporate communications, said: “The Air Car still requires nearly two years of work, to refine its technology.” He added that the company would only discuss the price point for the vehicle and its launch date after Tata Motors is ready to launch the car into the market.
A bit disheartening, but keep in mind this quote is in context of the Indian market only. And considering that MDI already has 50 factories across Europe waiting to go, I have a sneaking suspicion those two years will be spent working out minor kinks and tailoring the car to Indian market tastes.
Keep your hopes in the future but your sense in the present . . .
Field Palmer
P.S. For a chance at double-digit profits from another company making a novel, low-emissions enginge, read this report.
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I would guess that a compressed air car would be less energy-efficient than an electric car or even a gasoline-powered car.
I have been glad to be tuned into
your articles. I have interacted
with an Asian discussion group a
few years ago and the Air Car was
a topic. The Spanish company that
designed it built it in France for
some reason. Our discussion had
been focused on Air Quality and
policy or programs to help that or
technology that could. The Air Car with the compressors were the
factors and if the electrical power
for the compressors were from a Coal Power Plant and not from Solar or Wind power that would
make a big difference in air quality. Local air quaity could
improve but perhaps not globally
due to hidden emissions.
The energy of the compressed air at 4500 PSI produce by an electric motor of 5 HP during 5 hours, consumes about 25 Kw@.40 USD a Kw. will cost 2 USD to fill up, is very simple.
There is many ways to produce electricity now days so if the power comes from a renewable energy like Hydroelectric plant,or Eolic, or solar. this vehicle will not produce any CO.
The Car is French not Spanish the owner is Mr. Guy Negre not Spanish people.
I found this invention the best there is in clean tranportation now.
Is a Clen green driving machine.
As for the differance with Electric cars, the weight of the batteries and chemicals involved are factors that prevent development and inflate the costs
There are problems with energy conversions that are inefficent. Also thermodynamics tells us that extremely high as well as low temperatures will make this system extremely inefficient.
Gullible, unquestioning journalists still copy the MDI press release and print them as if they deserve credibility, in spite of multiple years of promises and claims that have never materialized.
The next set of missed promises and delivery dates will be when MDI fails to deliver the AirPod to Air France in Spring of 2009.
The MDI business model it to make money from licenses and franchises rather than from builing cars. This franchise or pyramid setup means that MDI just needs to keep finding investors and franchisees to make their fortune, without ever having to build a single working car.
It is very interesting that in spite of announcing production "soon" for many years, that no prototypes or pilot production cars have ever been road tested by independent parties such as car magazines. An auto magazine would need just a few hours to verify that the prototypes come nowhere near the claimed performance in operating range, top speed, etc.
Of course they deliver prototype, of course those prototypes work, even if it’s always slightly less efficiently then expected.
The only truth in those comments is that, effectively, it’s easier to make-money with licensing that by actually going on massive scale production. It is even IMPOSSIBLE to make those vehicles became a reality for the billions of commoner like us, and save the planet as a byproduct. Reality is so that it is impossible to create out of dust, the hundreds+ factories that could sustain the needs.
Whatever the technology (like the century old “compressed air” or “electric” or “steam turbine” or whatever), the only hope lay in the finally collapsing of the stupid economic system we live in.
Governments will soon bail-out all those collapsing factories and deny the new patents (for obvious national security reasons) and make the conversion to some more logic (eco-logic) and sustainable model.
Then we will be able to spend half the money for a vehicle that performs half as well. And for skeptic, yes, compressed air has a very low energy-density. But also, it is so easy to make, transport, store, and use it, with so simple and efficient mechanics (and thermodynamic cycle), that only cry-babies and cleric fools blindly stating non-sense will deny it.
And it is 102% clean (2% more because the filters in the motors will actually clean the polluted air we are force to breathe every day)
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SHELLY KANE
MDI has downsized the air car to a golfcart sized vehicle to increase the possibility of getting a useful operating range.
As the MDI air car has been almost every year since 2000, the AirPod will go on sale "next year".