MDI's "AirCar" officially becomes the FlowAIR
By Donald Melanson 
posted October 10th 2008 4:13PM
posted October 10th 2008 4:13PM
MDI's compressed air vehicle has been unofficially known as the AirCar for years now, but it looks like the company is now finally putting a stop to that, and officially bestowing the decidedly less catchy "FlowAIR" name on the car. What's more, it's also gotten official with no less than four different vehicles based on the technology, including the One FlowAIR open-top model, the Mini FlowAIR three-seater (pictured above), the City FlowAIR truck-type vehicle, and the Multi FlowAIR urban public transportation concept, all of which have been making the rounds under various guises for some time now. From the looks of it, the One FlowAIR will be the first out of the gate in 2009 (in France, at least), with the rest to follow over the next few years.
[Via AutoblogGreen]
[Via AutoblogGreen]
You could be running a solar- or wind-powered compressor.
I think a Electric powered Air compressor is far more common then GAS. So your powering it from the electric grid just like a electric car. I would also assume a Air powered Car would be far cheaper to make then a electric car because battery's can be really expensive and will at some point have to be replaced. Filling a tank with Air, the only thing you have to worry about is the tank rusting out. Will have to be drained regularly.
@Benson - "Maybe they can, but this is not a company with a great idea. Compressed air is great for power density, lousy for energy density. And quite lossy for recharging. It's at best on par with electric, but you need more infrastructure to use it."
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "you need *more* infrastructure" (emphasis mine). However, even if it is only on par with an electric, it would hold two primary advantages over electric: 1) The infrastructure already exists (gas stations everywhere already have air compressors, many of them free of charge, for your tires; and 2) It takes considerably less time to fill an air tank than it does to charge a battery.
If the concepts actually play out in the real world this is essentially an electric car with energy storage in compressed air instead of in a battery, making it theoretically much more flexible to use in daily operation. And it is not hard to imagine hooking up a solar powered, or very small gas powered air compressor to this car to make for a hybrid version.
While I'm sure that gasoline powered air compressors exist, most of my experience with air compressors is those of the electrically powered variety - in workshops, private garages, and *gas stations*.
Fueled by air..
Body by playskool.
I just looked at their site. These people really need some designers. All their cars look like plastic toy cars for 2-year olds.
Yech.
He Who Will Take A Prius Any Day.
@Chris Aubeck
Chris, I understand what you mean, and it is probably clear to a lot of physicists that we both have no idea what we are talking about. We both definitely have less than the knowledge of someone who has read two wikipedia articles on cosmology.
I use the words that I use because I don't want to sound like I have any authority on what I am talking about. If I wanted to sound like an authority on cosmology, I could easily use other words that sound more authoritative. I am sure you are aware of the number of authoritative-sounding posts on the internet.
If you read some books or articles on the origin of the universe, you'll find that some scientists will explain how they believe that the universe came from "nothing."
Addendum: re: universe.
The phases, outward/inward, repeat ad infinitum.
I see, mercedes/swatch smart is cute but not this one. You're asking for alternatively powered cars, but won't buy this one because is ugly. Americans heh
It's an excellent piece of design - very driveable, excellent visibility especially for parking and squeezing through traffic gaps in the city, kind to bikes and pedestrians in minor collisions, maximum use of interior space for people and their junk, good illumination at night on dark city streets, panels easily replaceable after traffic bumps, etc.
Sure, not quite as cute as Smart but just as practical, in fact slightly more so for inner-city driving. You have to think beyond exterior looks and anticipate how this car would work in your real world. And work it will. Come back late 2009 and tell me it doesn't...
And hummers are fun in a once-in-a-lifetime-drive way. But they suck as everyday transport. Too Damn Big.
Running a car off compressed air is the exact opposite of green. This car needs the air to be compressed to 4,200psi. Do you have any idea how much electricity it takes to create that kind of pressure? This thing is still running off gas indirectly, and it actually uses MORE gas than it would if it used a normal combustion engine. FAIL
What the hell are you talking about? How does it use gasoline? Its an AIR run car it uses AIR. how does it use gas 'indirectly'? explain please.
@Steve
The car itself does not run on gas--not disputing that. However, to put the air into the car at a pressure that would make it useful, you have to use an air compressor. Most air compressors use either electricity, via power plants, or (more probably) a small gasoline engine. This is what makes it a non-green technology. That is, unless the electricity is being provided by other green technologies, i.e.; wind, solar, nuclear, etc...
@Steve
Last time I did an analysis on the amount of electricity it takes to run this car. The amount of electricity it consumes is the same as a Tesla Roadster. This means a much heavier crash tested electric sports car with 250hp is as efficient as this "air" car that has 25-40hp.
In short, you don't just put air in it, you have to use electricity (or gasoline if it is a gas powered air compressor) to COMPRESS the air and that is what uses energy. The advantage with air is that it can supposed fill up faster with an industrial pump (3-4 minutes).
Since this compresses air wouldn't this car make a ton of noise to pressurize the air?
All you guys keep basing your comments from an evolutionists stand point. You say the world (Earth) has been around for 2 billion years? Did it really take us 1,999,998,248 years to control electricity? And then just a few years later we come from capturing electricity to the invention of the computer. Evolution has so many flaws. Even Darwin denied Evolution on his death bed.
People will always argue Evolution and Creation. People will say "The Egyptians worshiped the son god, Ra, because they did not understand why the son came up every morning." "The pagans worshiped women because they didn't understand that the act of sex would bring about a child 9 months later." People say the say that religion is used to explain what we do not know. Both of these examples can be scientifically proven why they occur. The beginning of time can never be proven however.
I am a Christian and believe in God. The truth is, every human has a desire to meet their Creator. Whether their Creator is a chemical bang or maybe aliens from another planet. However, God shows himself all the time. Look how neat and orderly our world is. Do you honestly think a "big bang" could cause a perfect food chain to balance our world. And create the act of stimulus in all living creatures. I didn't think so. Show me one flaw in our world and one flaw in God. Then I'll believe all you evolutionists. But until you can do that I will stand firm in my faith.
-A 14 year old
Ryan, there's a book called "The Urantia Book". It answers many of life's questions. Start reading it as if it was a science fiction novel. When you've finished reading it, make up your own mind whether it is fiction or truth.
Complete text is available at: http://mercy.urantia.org/papers/
Ok, so I got a cup of coffee to keep me up and I got over my boredom. I read down to wear it says "1. The Father's Name" and it starts off by saying God's name is different in other universes. So, already this book is coming from an Evolutionist stand point. I guess I can already say this book is "science fiction."
P.S. God's name is Yahweh
I guess it didn't post my other comment about the very beginning of the book. In the first paragraph it talks about a prophet. It's not specific at all as to who this prophet is. I mean already I don't see a well structured book. I'm sure an average teenager could write a book with this much structure in an afternoon.
This all started with a comment about a turd?
Wow I want one! Oh wait, it's being released in France. Because cute cars are illegal in the states?
So frustrating!
This is vaporware. For over 10 years now, MDI has repeatedly made announcements of cars that will "be in production next year". Nothng has EVER been delivered.
The only prototypes ever built only ran 6 miles on a full charge of air.
Lots of "hot air". Nothing delivered.
I assume that this is more of the same. The basic problem is that the energy density of compressed air storage is lower than that of electric batteries. A related problem is that there is very low efficiency in converting grid electrical power to energy stored in compressed air. Much of the energy consumed is thrown away as heat is generated in the compressed air.
Ask yourself why we haven't seen any prototypes undergoing tests. The prototype vehicles should already have been built if they are truly going to go into production in 2009. There is a huge difference betweent the 6 mile range of their only prototype and the inflated claims they keep making.
Dayuuuummm......haven't these people heard the saying if you have nothing good to say...shut up.
These engineers are trying to come up with something that will at least help us with the global warming situation. Imagine these little cars goin round pumping out clean air. I salute these people for trying to make the world a better place. It may not work as well as some people might expect in the beginning but i have faith that it will only improve. Ugly...beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Remember the model T, now that was pretty you think?
So i say, hang in there MDI its only going to get better. We need more innovations like this to rehabilitate this planet after the last century of pollution by all mankind. We have to wean ourselves of petroleum because ultimately its going to run out, the more options we have the better off we will be.
I will be the first to line up to buy one of these when it does come out.
what a bunch of idiots! this is a great idea, youall go back to you gas guzzlin job at pollution is us and eat some poop!