How About A Car That Runs On Air? Really!

Aircar-mdi-fd-340 A car is due out in 2010 that runs on compressed air and can be “refueled” in a few minutes. It goes 50 mph and can cover 90 to 125 mileson a charge. Later models will be able to go 80 mph.

Nick Kurczewski for Edmunds Inside Line reports:

“The heart of the 2010 MDI AIRPod is a piston engine that has been specially adapted by MDI to run on compressed air. The expansion of the compressed air within the cylinders moves the pistons. The engine is ‘fueled’ by a system of high-pressure air tanks.

Built by EADS, an aerospace firm, the tanks are constructed of lightweight carbon-fiber. Though the tanks are presently limited to a capacity of 80 liters (21.1 gallons) at 200 bars of pressure (2,900 psi), MDI plans an increase to 200 liters (53 gallons) and 300 bars of pressure (4,400 psi, which is actually substantially less than the 10,000-psi rating of hydrogen tanks used in fuel-cell vehicles) for the first production models of the AIRPod, set to be built by the end of this year.”

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Published: July 9, 2009