MDI’s Air Car to be built in Melbourne
Posted by Nathan on December 3, 2007
If you’re a fan of alternative fuel technologies, then chances are you’ve heard of the Air Car. Originally conceived by former Formula 1 engineer Guy Negre back in 1991, the MDI “Air Cars” (officially termed the OneCAT, CityCAT and MiniCAT) can run purely on a tank of compressed air, or combined with combustible fuels such as ethanol or LPG for extended range. MDI recently signed a deal with one of India’s largest auto companies, Tata Motors, to build the air-powered vehicles in India.
Now, with business partner Louis Arnoux, Negre is bringing the OneCAT to Australia. The two have been in the country recently demonstrating their technology to potential investors and the state and federal governments, and are planning a $1.5 billion roll-out across Australia, starting in Melbourne. The new company that will be responsible for bringing the compressed air vehicles to the country, IT-MDI Energy Pty Ltd, is a merger betweeen MDI and IT Mondial, Arnoux’s IT business.
The OneCAT can run purely on compressed air, filled up from home or petrol stations, or on a combination of compressed air and fuel. The car can travel at speeds of up to 110 km/h and ranges of up to 150 km on compressed air, or 2000 km when combined with fuel. The OneCAT uses a unique external combustion engine to give claimed efficiencies of up to 70% (current internal combustion engines generally have an efficiency of about 25%), using 2 L per 100 km. The vehicle is expected to sit three or five people and will be available in multiple configurations starting at less than $8000, with the MiniCAT and CityCAT models expected to follow.
The IT MDI-Energy venture has greater ambitions than just transport, with its website detailing its plans to provide home power generation and even broadband internet services in a “green” manner, using a combination of solar power and the external combustion technology. The company wants to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions from transport by 20% and from power generation by 80% in ten years.
(Source: The Age)
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My thoughts: the CAT engine has been the object of great interest and scrutiny for almost as long as it has existed, with proponents extolling the virtues of zero-emissions exhaust and critics pointing out that using compressed air simply shifts the burden of energy production further up the chain. In this respect, compressed air appears to be much like hydrogen - it’s an energy storage medium, rather than a source. The requirement of finding energy to compress the air in the first place still exists. IT MDI-Energy hope to offset that using their power generation systems, which can be run on fossil fuels or biofuels. To its credit, compressed air is a safe, well-known working fluid and using it to power vehicles would certainly assist in reducing the hazards associated with driving. Time will tell if the Air Car will really reduce emissions, but regardless, it’s a positive step to have such companies investing in Australia.
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December 4, 2007 at 3:57 am
This is very interesting news, I enjoyed the article very much.
December 7, 2007 at 6:04 pm
“The requirement of finding energy to compress the air in the first place still exists.”
I can’t believe people still have this as an argument. Put solar power on your roof. Then you don’t need fossil fuels. Hello… zero emissions. Carbon footprint… zero… Really when you have the choice would you ever really use the duel fuel feature? Stuff that. Ultimate goal: 100000 liter rainwater tank, 5kW solar array, small 400W wind turbine, vegie patch, chooks, septic tank and a car that needs no fuel from those damm oil companies. Zero carbon emissions and zero dependence on the outside world. Money is better spent on yourself and the environment than constantly forking out for electricity, gas, water, food and “fuel”. Now if only I could get rid of my land rates? Start my own shire for just my property or street? Perhaps… hmmm….
December 7, 2007 at 8:29 pm
“Put solar power on your roof. Then you don’t need fossil fuels.”
True, but the same can be said of many energy storage technologies. Once you’ve got that renewable energy, how best to use it to drive your car - compressed air, batteries or hydrogen? It’s certainly not an argument against compressed air, but more of a clarification for those that think it’s essentially free energy, when it isn’t.
Given the claimed low cost of these vehicles, it would make sense to sell some solar panels with them - for the price of a petrol-powered small car, you could get an air-powered car and potentially no power bills ever again.
December 8, 2007 at 5:45 pm
“compressed air, batteries or hydrogen?”
Well compressed air would be the answer. You can charge it (compress air) via your solar panels. Which is the option with this car.
Hydrogen… well they can still sell it to you. You can’t very well easily make it yourself and if you did I imagine it expensive and don’t believe they make it a viable option for the public… how will our government ever suck more money out of us?
Batteries… well again good idea… but the same reason I have a solar array that’s grid connected… I don’t have to replace the batteries every 5 years. Could be expensive if you had too and would make it not a viable option. Not to mention you have to recycle the batteries. Plus anyone who bought the Toyota Pirus a few years ago going to fall into the trap where they have to make that expensive change (batteries don’t last forever)… hmmm…. see a few Pirus in the paper for sale that are about 4 years old. Maybe their owners realise this and are planning to make it someone else’s problem.
December 20, 2007 at 11:48 am
” …. and critics pointing out that using compressed air simply shifts the burden of energy production further up the chain”
like most critic’s on this subject …. this totally misses the point ….
…. the real commercial threat to modern life as we know it, (and less developed nations are aspiring to), is the looming peak production (and subsequent production decline) of liquid fossil fuels, combined with accellerating demand.
This air car technology can help mitigate that risk, regardless of whether the energy for air compression originates from solid fossil fuel, renewables, or nuclear. If renewables, then all the better.
When they start rationing petrol come the inevitable shortages, people with air cars will still be able get to work.
The other big plus of thie air car, is that most of the fuel used for the worlds fleet of existing heavy cars is consumed simply moving the weight of the cars around. These light vehicles will dramatically reduce fuel consumption due to their ultra light body weight.
….. Paradox
December 20, 2007 at 7:27 pm
Paradox: agreed on most counts there, peak oil is one of MDI’s primary motivators for getting these cars on the market. Climate change effects can’t be ignored though, even if it is purely for social and political reasons, so it’s likely to be important for a lot of people that the vehicle reduces emissions as well as relying on a more reliable source of energy.
January 8, 2008 at 4:39 am
The car can compress the air itself using and internal electric compressor. So you don’t need to buy some extra equipment to do it from your home, all is included in the car price.
I’m living in canada and I’m not sure this car is gonna be sold out here, but believe me : I really hope so.
January 10, 2008 at 2:48 am
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February 20, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Such a fantastic concept, as soon as I saw it on foxtel, I knew we had hit new horizons, I am eager to see these introduced into the community, at a start price of $8000, this is affordable for everyone. Although fuel magnates may pressure the production of this fantastic car, the demand will be too great. keep going guys/gals don’t be bullied and you will succeed. The interest is definitly there. Thanks. {future owner} Wayne.
March 9, 2008 at 11:28 pm
when can i buy one im sick of paiding out the /// for gas would like to know thanks
March 15, 2008 at 5:29 pm
It sounds great! being built in Australia sounds almost too good to be true, does anyone know when they’re actually planning on doing this? I checked their website but it’s very elusive on details…
April 22, 2008 at 2:54 am
If you are interested to invest in the MDI company, my wife and I are willing to sell some of our shares of MDI. We support financially MDI since 1992 and hold then so 1 % of the capital.
After 16 years we decide to realise a part of our investment !
Our selling price will be less (market oblige) as the last transfers made by M Nègre himself (he held 2/3 of the capital). If you have a serious interest please write us : martinmarschner(at)hotmail.com