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Airpod, the Car That Runs on Air
With gas prices rising and the massive drought making ethanol a tough sell as a gas alternative, India's Tata Motors has hit on the perfect time to debut the Airpod, a small urban vehicle that, as its name suggests, runs on air. If you don't know much about how regular cars use fuel, natural gas or, alternatively, hydrogen is compressed in a pressurized tank, hence the 'pssf' sound when you unscrew the gas cap. Now think about air rifles. If you had the bad luck to grow up with an older brother obsessed with using you as a target (or perhaps you were that older sibling yourself), you know that the air we breathe seems harmless enough, but when compressed it packs a punch. A gun is one thing, but is it enough of a punch to power a car?
Tata thinks so. They enlisted the help of MDI, an engineering company that's been developing zero pollution engines since the early 90s. The Airpod has a 175 liter storage tank of compressed air that you refill with an external pump or with an electric motor that can 'refuel' the car while its in motion. This first model reaches a top speed of 43 mph (70 km/h), making it best suited for transporting people or small goods around city streets. One tank lasts over 125 miles (200 km) and takes only two minutes to fill up again at an average price of just one euro per fill.
The Airpod has three seats for adults plus a smaller fourth seat for a child. There's even room for luggage. It only has three wheels, two doors and no steering wheel. Instead, you drive it with a joystick. MDI has the public and service sector in mind, naming runners, messengers and artisans as its target market. The Airpod, which is currently in its second phase of testing, is just one of five models MDI is developing. They're also working on a truck, sedan, convertible and bus version. Tata and MDI expects to release the Airpod commercially in the near future for $10,000.
Check out the video after the jump...
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Comments
I suspect that most of the negative comments are being generated by a paid hack for the oil industry. The oil industry is not above paying people to do this sort of thing.
Oh, and what about heat? You need something when driving in temps below 50 or 60 degrees, if for no other reason than defrosting the windshield.
Hey, did I see wipers on that in case it rains?
http://youtu.be/jcM2IFLZ3zU
This will provide very clean carbon footprint because the energy required to compress air is very small.
I bet it flies like one in an accident, too.
It beats electric power hands down in refueling, so longer trips are not out of question. Due to the size and single-tank range I see it as a good solution for families where the second vehicle is used for short trips, i.e. commuting or errand runs.
Could it be done instead of spending an hour in the gym? A treadmill, perhaps?
Just asking.
The tanks on the MDI aircars are made with carbon fibre, not steel, which means in a catastrophic failure they will crack, not explode. They are designed with a barrier between the tank and the passenger cabin, so there is no risk of shrapnel to occupants, and the compressed air will not injure anyone nearby.
I do have a concern about aircars, but different than what the ignorant talk about: What about roads? Odds are, the aircar won't be suitable on anything but paved streets (asphalt or concrete). In the picture, the clearance beneath is low, the wheels are small, and the power of a compressed air engine may not be enough for anyone where snow, ice and unpaved roads are common.
Another key point: with only three wheels, these vehicles are not or may not be classified as cars. In most jurisdictions, three wheeled vehicles are treated the same as motorcycles, so one would need a scooter or motorcycle license instead of a car license. If the vehicles are very slow (under 30kmh) such as electric bicycles, most cities don't require any license at all.
@Jorge, How many miles do you drive in a day? I bet <40miles. Do the math...still cheaper than your present car BY FAR. You already pay for electricity at home, use that to compress the air each day before setting out.
@MrEricSir,, perhaps...but attempt to balance that with your typical auto accident. PMS burns, explodes, maims and kills BADLY
They have been promising a viable AirPod since 2000.
I want one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQh56geU0X8
Don't just go after the shinny, people, think for 10secs: where does the power to compress air came from?