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A company called MDI (Moteur Development International) has developed a car which runs purely on compressed air – they call it the MiniCat (Compressed Air Technology = CAT!).

Here’s how they describe this machine on their website:

After fourteen years of research and development, Guy Negre has developed an engine that could become one of the biggest technological advances of the century. Its application to Compressed Air Technology(CAT) vehicles gives them significant economical and environmental advantages. With the incorporation of bi-energy (compressed air + fuel) the CAT Vehicles have increased their driving range to close to 2000 km with zero pollution in cities and considerably reduced pollution outside urban areas.
The application of the MDI engine in other areas, outside the automotive sector, opens a multitude of possibilities in nautical fields, co-generation, auxiliary engines, electric generators groups, etc. Compressed air is a new viable form of power that allows the accumulation and transport of energy. MDI is very close to initiating the production of a series of engines and vehicles. The company is financed by the sale of manufacturing licenses and patents all over the world.

After all of the great length at which I have been discussing the issues raised by car culture & its related climate change issues, this is precisely the type of innovation I have been driving at.

It couldn’t come at a better time!

I seriously considered buying an electric car a few months ago, though at USD $98,000 for one which is equivalent to a petrol model (living in a very rural area, speed is a major factor here – in a city the average speed is so low that a slower model would be worth considering) this does not make economic sense.

I firmly believe in market forces. The market has been crying out for a zero pollution car – and when one arrives that is within most people’s budgets, I reckon we could see a huge shift take place. At which time, those invested in petrochemicals will surely begin to use some of that R&D they have stored up to compete to regain their business.

Biofuel and ethanol are all very well, though they essentially are just a replacement for crude oil based fuels.

A car that runs on air? That interests me a great deal.

I’ve been having a look at some of the prototype statistics, and they appear to be quite fast – with a top speed of 11o KMH, though the distances you can travel are relatively low(between 200 and 300 KMs between “charges”, they seem perfect for commuting purposes. A charge up takes 4 hours with a mains electric connection, or 3 hours at an “air station”.

One major issue with this vehicle, though, is the requirement for a mains connection to charge (assuming that there won’t be an “air station” in rural North Yorkshire). Most of our electricity is still coming from coal fired power stations: this is surely an inefficient use of that power, rather than burning petrol or diesel yourself.

A step in the right direction, then, but, until we have entirely green power nation (and world) wide, it cannot really be claimed to be a “zero pollution” car.

Aside from that, I’m in, I just have to work out how to make the sun shine long enough to get some solar electricity in England!