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This odd-looking
vehicle might struggle to meet crash testing rules – but it contains
technology that could lead to a range of zero-emissions vehicles that
don’t rely on electricity.
How? The clue’s in
the name. The Moteur Development International (MDI) AIRPod runs on
compressed air. It’s a tiny two-seater, with three wheels and a total
weight of just 220kg – but it has a range of 180-220km, a top speed of
about 40mph and it can be fully recharged in just 90 seconds – the time
it takes to refill its carbon-fibre air tank.
MDI believes the
concept is worth developing and has developed another prototype, the
OneFlowAir, a small two-seater open-topped four-wheeler that resembles a
miniature Citroen Mehari, which combines the compressed air system with
a conventional motor, creating an air-fuel hybrid system that has up to
100km of zero-emissions autonomy and an overall range of up to 900km.
Other, larger city
cars are under development that will take the concept further. A six-seater
mini-MPV called CityFlowAir could represent a more practical use of the
technology, which MDI believes is ideal for emerging markets thanks to
its low manufacturing cost, the simplicity of the powerplant and the
lack of an infrastructure requirement other than compressed air.
The technology is
protected by 50 international patents and MDI is hoping that an
automaker will adopt the technology in the near future. The company
believes the technology could be commercialised for as little as €6,000. |
