Compressed Air Cars Are Here.
The car that runs on compressed air is here, thats right and I will say it again, the automobile that runs with an engine powered by compressed air is a reality. A Company in France MDI has brought this to us.This promising technology may need some additional design options for the US market but it is a truly exciting break through.
The MDI MiniCat´s really is a revolutionary urban solution. While carrying the full MDI “zero pollution” compressed air technology, the car is very small. Only 2.65 m in length, conventional width and height make the MiniCat´s the ultimate city car: non-polluting and easy to park…
And the good news doesn´t stop there: the MiniCat´s has two other great advantages: it has three seats and the boot of a saloon….What more could you need?
| Motor: | CAT’s 4 cylinder engine, 800 cm3, equipped with a “pause” system at Top Dead Centre and a top power of 25bhp at 4000rpm. | ||
| Length: | 2.65m | Width: | 1.62m |
| Height: | 1.64m | Weight: | 550Kg |
| Seating: | 3 front seats. | Maximum load: | 270Kg |
| Refilling time: | 3 hrs 30mins - 4 hrs from a 230V mains connection; 2 hrs 30 mins - 3 hrs from a 380V connection; and 2 minutes at a high-pressure air station.. |
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| Mileage for city driving: | 150Km | ||
| Maximum speed: | 110Km/h | ||
After many years of research the engine is ready - an engine so revolutionary it needs an equally pioneering car. Guy Negre has always searched for the complete solution, guided by his innovative vision. Over the years of development, he has carefully held his focus and modified the car accordingly.
Fundamentally, the vehicle is a simple, light urban car, composed of a fibre-glass or hemp fibre body like other modern cars (Renault Espace amongst others), and not sheet steel like most vehicles. The chassis is tubular, as in racing car engines and motorcycles, to produce strength at a light weight. Additionally, the parts are not soldered but glued as in aerospace technology.
This vehicle doesn´t have the usual speedometer, RPM etc. In its place is an on-board computer which displays the information. This system is infinitely adaptable: GSM telephone system, GPS satellite guiding system, programs for fleets of vehicles, emergency systems, internet connection, voice recognition, map display, security traffic information, entertainment…. In short, the future now.
In terms of security, the seat-belt system is different to the one we are familiar with. The first fastening point is fixed to the seat as in traditional vehicles. But the second fastening point, rather than being in the side, is also in the seat. If the car crashes the driver and passengers are therefore not dragged along with the body of the car.
The vehicle´s electrical system is also revolutionary. MDI bought a patent designed to reduce the usual set of electrical cables to just one. A tiny radio transmitter is used whose signal is picked up and converted by microcontrollers in each device in the car: lights, intermission, etc. The design is 20 kilos lighter and makes maintenence much simpler. What about keys and alarms in such a system? Well, just turn off the mini-emitter (the size of a small keyring).
At MDI we have also been looking into a new system to replace keys. A card could be used to gain access and start the car. To open the car, the card would just be read automatically, without having to insert it into any slot. The card´s proximity would be enough to unlock the car.
Consumption is less than one Euro per 100Km (Approx 0.75 Euro, according to use, i.e. about a tenth that of a petrol car). This makes it an attractive prospect for any driver, professional or not.
As no combustion takes place, there is no pollution. Its mileage is about double that of the most advanced electric car (200 a 300 Km or 10 hours of driving), a factor which makes a perfect choice in cities where the 80% of motorists drive at less than 60Km.
Refilling the car will, once the market develops, take place at adapted petrol stations to administer compressed air. In 2 or 3 minutes, and at a cost of approximately 1.5 Euros, the car will be ready to go another 200-300 kilometres.
As an viable alternative, the car carries a small compressor which can be connected to the mains (220V or 380V) and refill the tank in 3-4 hours.
Due to the absence of combustion and, consequently, of residues, changing the oil (1 litre of vegetable oil) is necessary only every 50,000 Km.
The temperature of the clean air expelled by the exhaust pipe is between 0 - 15 degrees below zero, which makes it suitable for use by the internal air conditioning system with no need for gases or loss of power.
