What it is ::

The MDI Air car is powered by an air engine, specifically tailored for the car. This air engine is being developed by CQFD Air solution, a company closely linked to MDI.

The engine is powered by compressed air, stored in a carbon-fiber tank at 30 MPa (4500 psi). The tank is made of carbon-fiber in order to reduce its weight. The engine has injection similar to normal piston engines, but uses a jointed connecting rod to keep the pistons at top dead center for about 70 degrees of the crankshaft's cycle. This allows for a remarkably flat torque curve. This engine is more akin to a Stirling engine than a traditional turbine-style pneumatic motor, relying on its thermodynamics to produce power.

Emission free?
Though the car itself uses no fossil fuels and is therefore Greenhouse gas emission free at the 'tailpipe', it must be taken into account that the tanks are recharged using (typically) electric compressors and that the electricity for such compressors will usually come from power stations, such as coal-fired ones. However, power plant generated energy is most of the time more efficiently generated and usually causes less greenhouse gases than a standard ICE powered vehicle. Also, other energy generation methods such as Hydroelectric power, Solar power or Wind power and nuclear power could be used to power the compressors if available, to result in zero carbon emissions. This would hold especially true for the MDI's homeland as nuclear power in France accounts for 78% of French power generation. However the same argument can be applied to electric vehicles, or electric space heaters for that matter. This confusion arises because hydrogen, electricity, and compressed air are all energy transfer methods, not actual sources of energy. Air cars would however have the advantage of being able to reuse aspects of ICE technology and industrial plant.

Models

The MDI MiniCAT‎There are two MDI models in development using Compressed Air Technology: the three-seater MiniCAT for local commuting and the six-seater CityCAT for longer distances.

Production status
As of March 2007 the Air car is not in production; though they have been said to be going into production "soon" since at least 1998. In Wired magazine, May 1999, production was stated to start in 2000. It was announced to make its public debut in South Africa in 2002,[1] or "within six months" in January 2004.[2] Formal agreements are in the works with Indian manufacturer Tata Motors to finalize engine designs and ultimately start full-scale production, although again no definite timetable has been announced.[3]

The Air car range will be sold by MDI as well as by ZevCat, a US company based in California. Licenses are for sale, entitling the licensee to manufacture the Air car in other countries. Currently licences for manufacture and distribution have been sold to companies in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, South Africa, India, Great Britain, France, and the United States.

Best Feature :: In cases where you drive over 50/kph, you can switch over to gas by the switch of a button. It will be able to use gasoline, gas oil, bio diesel, gas, liquidized gas, ecological fuel, alcohol, etc.

Price :: $9000 - $13,000

Rating :: 9/10

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