MDI’s OneCAT
Posted on 03/30/2007 7:17:49 PM PDT by Rick_Michael
A car with an air-compressed engine will be able to drive around 124 miles or eight hours for just under $2.
The OneCAT, created by Moteur Development International (MDI) Founder Guy Nègre, can reach a speed of 68 mph and can cover about 124 miles, or eight hours of travel, which is more than double the road coverage of an electric car. When recharging the tank, the car needs to connect to an outlet for three to four hours or attach to an air pump at a gas station for two minutes.
Economy and the ecological benefits are the main advantages for the client since the car´s maintenance cost is 10 times less than that of a gasoline-powered car.
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The vehicle (www.theaircar.com) gets its power from 90 cubic meters of compressed air stored in fiber tanks. The expansion of air pushes the pistons and creates movement. The atmospheric temperature re-heats the engine and increases the road coverage. The air conditioning system makes use of the expelled cold air. Due to the absence of combustion and the fact there is no pollution, the oil change (one liter of vegetable oil) is only necessary every 31,000 miles.
At the moment, MDI has four models, a car, a taxi (five passengers), a pick-up truck, and a van. The final selling price will be $10,800 (£5,500).
MDI, founded in Luxembourg, based in the south of France, with commercial offices in Barcelona, has researched and developed the Air Car over 10 years, and the technology has more than 30 international patents.
MDI already signed with 50 factories in Europe, America, and Asia. The company is offering 20 licenses in the U.K. as exclusive manufacturing areas for cars as well as offering other licenses in the nautical and public transport sectors.
The company just signed a deal with Tata Motors in India to develop a new and cost-saving technology for applications for the Indian market.
The company is initially looking to produce 3,000 cars each year, with 70 staff working one eight-hour shift a day.
MDI developed two technologies to meet different needs. One is the single energy compressed air engines, and the other is dual energy compressed air plus fuel engines
The single energy engines will be available in Minicats and Citycats. These engines are for use in the city use, where the maximum speed is lower and the need for an environmentally safer car is greater.
The duel energy engine, on the other hand, can see use in the city, but also the open road. The engines will work exclusively with compressed air while it is running under 50 km/h in urban areas. When the car hits speeds over 50 km/h, the engines will switch to fuel mode. The engine will be able to use gasoline, gas oil, bio diesel, gas, liquidized gas, ecological fuel, and alcohol.
The engine types will be available with two, four, and six cylinders. When the air tanks are empty, the driver will be able to switch to fuel mode, thanks to the car’s on board computer.
This engine (for more information, click on www.theaircar.com/howitworks.html) has four two-stage pistons, i.e. eight compression and/or expansion chambers. They have two functions: to compress ambient air and refill the storage tanks; and to make successive expansions (reheating air with ambient thermal energy) thereby approaching isothermic expansion.
Its steering wheel is equipped with a 5kW electric moto-alternator. This motor acts as the:
No clutch is necessary. The engine is idle when the car is stationary, and the vehicle starts via the magnetic plate which re-engages the compressed air. The electric motor allows for the parking capabilities.
For related information, go to www.isa.org/manufacturing_automation.
Watch video below
My comment then was the same as my comment now: with the pressures inside that compressed air tank, if you get into a collision, you can write off the car, the driver, the passengers, and anybody else within a block of that bomb
90% of my driving is back and forth to my office.
There are occasional short trips during the day and sporatic errands on the way home.
It's cheap, doesn't use much gas and is big enough to not be dangerous.
An ideal commuter-car.
I don't care. I'm through paying inflated prices and escalating taxes for the privilege of buying gasoline.
Like you and I said, home heating. Interestingly, if your formula is correct, which I believe it is, compressing the air generates about the same heat as a gasoline engine does when it runs.
And what is the car going to do with all the cold "generated"? With this engine sucking up so much heat, the air conditioner will practically free to run. Could be a great car for Arizona -- or at least a replacement for some of the golf carts I see around here.
The air coming out of the tanks is about negative 10 degrees, great for air conditioning. And you are right, the hotter the climate the better this could work. I also envision it in Golf cart type vehicles, good for 50 miles or so.
Maybe if you are using DC over long distances. AC is very efficient, especially at the higher voltages.
How safe is that tank in a crash?
Luxfer manufactures all the cylinders my academy uses. They have a five year hydro test. I've been in fires that melted my visor, which happens around 600 degrees, with no damage to the SCBA cylinder. Most people no longer have any idea of what goes on in their cars, so maintenance is done by personnel with special training. There would have to be stations set up with quick connects and an interlock mechanism to keep the air from being discharged unless the connection was made properly, but this is all standard, off the shelf technology.
I can't speak to what the actual costs of operating such a vehicle would be, but I don't find the air compression technology to be any more risky than air bags or gasoline tanks.
I'm all for new and useful ideas/inventions, but nearly all of these "alternative energy" scams are really getting boring, almost to the point of insulting the average person's intelligence!!!
"How safe is that tank in a crash?"
Leave it to sionnsar to ask the Big Question !
Not only do I not care about my carbon footprint (except that I try to make it as large as possible), but I also don't buy that we should drive golf carts for "cost savings" or re-shaping global politics. Here's an idea - screw the liberals and go drill in Alaska and the Florida Coast and all the other places that we're not supposed to, and build more refineries and develop our own oil resources instead.
Hay! Yew caught the essence of the whole issue and my commentary upon it in a delightful demonstrative graphic, Mr. Gone!!! Yew bees a winnur!!!
In all seriousness, A 114ci tank @ 4500psi could fly half a mile or more in the air.
I'd watch the video.
I used to play paintball...but this car size and you need to watch the video. Would you shoot a regular car tank, either?
People used to say the same complaint for modern day cars, but for the most part that's not the biggest concern.
I'd say the biggest concern is: does it work? That's why I say...if it's commercially viable, then it's worth paying attention to. At this point, it's mostly an idea adopted by a big Indian company. But then again, many corporate companies advertise bad ideas e.g Corn ethanol idea by GM.
Click on POGW graphic for full GW rundown
Ping me if you find one I've missed.
At the moment, MDI has four models, a car, a taxi (five passengers)...
A car with a range of only “about 124 miles, or eight hours of travel” would be OK for the city commuter, but a taxi? When I drove a cab, 300 or 400 miles a days was common.
To get the 124 miles, speed would be restricted to 15 mph?
Well, there's a lot of energy stored there. They do note that the carbon fiber tanks would disintegrate without creating shrapnel, but at almost 2200 psi I'm sure even the disintegrating tank is a concern.
The moral of this story is,
if you're out on the beach
you see a compessed-air pow'rd car
and it's within your reach
Don't ever stop and drive it off
that's my advice to youuuuuu
...Cause....
you'll never get rid of that *boom boom boom*
no matter what you do!
Awhile back Tata Oonsultancy ran a series of ads
trying for the low end auto market
advertising "two for the price of one"
(they must have been inspired by computer programmers).
There was a flurry of ads about "bodacious Tatas".
This time, will they talk about how the cars blow?
Cheers!
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