Gizmodo Australia » airpod http://www.gizmodo.com.au the Gadget Guide | Technology and consumer electronics news and reviews Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:31:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 AirPod is Like a Smart Car Full of Hot Air, and That’s the Idea http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/10/airpod_is_like_a_smart_car_full_of_hot_air_and_thats_the_idea-2/ http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/10/airpod_is_like_a_smart_car_full_of_hot_air_and_thats_the_idea-2/#comments Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:30:00 +0000 Jack Loftus http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/10/airpod_is_like_a_smart_car_full_of_hot_air_and_thats_the_idea-2.html This post is almost half a Retromodo, in that compressed air cars have been peddled by companies like MDI for the last 20 years. But this compressed air-powered pod, the AirPod, is all new. The three-seater is powered by MDI’s proprietary compressed air system, which uses electricity to force the air to power the engine’s pistons. The car might appear in U.S. cities by 2010, and possibly India and Europe a bit sooner.


The range, as expected, is quite limited. The AirPod gets up to about 64kph, and goes approximately 210km between charges.

Once the tank is depleted, refilling it is described as “extremely quick” if you happen to have a specialised compressed air filling station handy. Otherwise, you’ll have to fill up using a traditional home air compressor (think: filling your bicycle tires). [EcoGeek]

]]> http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/10/airpod_is_like_a_smart_car_full_of_hot_air_and_thats_the_idea-2/feed/ 0