How’s this for a “green” fuel: air.
That’s right, like the stuff that we humans run on in the form of oxygen. French firm MDI has introduced such a vehicle at the Geneva Auto Show.
Dubbed the AirPod, the three-wheel vehicle is set for production this spring. It is designed as a light commuter that can hold three or four people. And it runs on… yes, compressed air.
According to a story by the International Herald Tribune, the AirPod will be used on a trial basis by Air France and KLM.
Compressed air has long been used to power tools (such as pneumatic wrenches), so the idea to use it to safely power a car isn’t all that crazy. MDI says the air supply can be recharged by plugging into an AC outlet for 8 hours, or in just 2 minutes at a designated air station.
The AirPod is to start at the equivalent of about $7,500. It’s said to be good for nearly 140 miles on a single 46-gallon tank of air, and is controlled not with a steering wheel, but a joystick. The model shown in Geneva is a three-seater in which the driver sits in front and two rear passengers sit behind, facing backward.
MDI, short for Motor Development International, hopes the AirPod is just the first in a series of cars that can run on the stuff we breathe.
The company also already has plans for bigger, four-wheel vehicles. The OneFlow convertible is another vehicle in development by the company, and will feature a dual-energy system that allows traditional fuel to also be used. It, also, is on display at the show.
Source: http://auto.freedomblogging.com/2009/03/04/the-car-that-runs-on-air-the-airpod-is-here/
