Filed under: Emerging Technologies, Europe/EU
Air Car Factories also working on compressed-air vehicles
One of my first tasks here in ABG was interviewing Miguel Celades. For a long time, Celades was Guy Nègre's sales partner in the development of the Air Car. Now, though, Nègre is now working with Tata Motors; he and Celades canceled their business partnership a few months ago (check MDI's press release here - Thanks to Heriberto for the tip)However, Mr. Celades has decided that since he had invested a lot in the Air Car project, he'd continue on his own. He has therefore created a company called Air Car Factories, which is currently working with the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) to have a air car prototype ready in the next few months.
Celades said that companies such as Atlas Copco from Sweden were interested in his project, as well as Scuderi and Regusci, an air-compressor company that has a similar project in their hands. While things are looking positive for Air Car Factories, Celades doesn't hide the fact that he would love to have a partnership with an automaker to sell the engine, like Mr. Nègre did with Tata.
Related:
- BBC News video: Air Car out "by end of year," in Europe, for 3,500 Euros
- Air Car's first manufacturing plant will be located in Melbourne, cars sold in Australia next year
- More information - with video - on the Air Car, as mentioned by Discovery Channel's Future Cars
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Heriberto Janosch González 5:55AM (2/28/2008)
http://www.mdi.lu/eng/affiche_eng.php?page=communique2
WARNING
Following serious commercial misconducts from Mr. Miguel Celades, MDI had to officially stop all relationships with him since 3rd February 2008.
Any reference by Mr Miguel CELADES and/or his companies « Motor de Aire Comprimido S.L. »and “Air Cars Factories SL” and/or his websites “motordeaire . com” and “theaircar .com” , whether directly or indirectly to construction or sales of compressed air engines and/or vehicles using this technology in relation with MDI (Motor Development International constitutes serious charges of unfair competition and fraud.
Mr Miguel CELADES, former MDI agent in Spain and Spanish-speaking countries, is attempting to use the goodwill and success of MDI in order to mislead potential investors for his own benefit.
And in http://www.theaircar.com/acf/clarification.html
CLARIFICATION
As a result of the accusations made by Mr. Guy Nègre on his website concerning the individual Miguel Celades Rex, we feel obligated to answer and clarify the reasons behind the ending of the commercial relationship between both organizations.
In relation to the “serious commercial misconducts…” that Mr. Nègre mentions, we have to explain that they are merely an excuse to justify the possible breach concerning his commitments towards Mr. Celades who has acted with the utmost honesty and dedication and with the sole intention to contribute commercial contacts.
We have to explain that, during eight years of close commercial collaboration, the investors contributed by Mr. Miguel Celades have supplied Mr. Guy Nègre with several millions in cash as reserves, generating a potential volume of business of close to a 100 million euros. One of the reasons of the mutual rescission has in fact to do with the possible breach on the part of Mr. Guy Nègre concerning his contractual agreements with Mr. Miguel Celades.
During his commercial activities Mr. Celades has taken part in the promotion of the interests of MDI with investors worldwide, public and governmental institutions, as well as television and press on a worldwide level. Therefore we think that the arguments that Mr. Guy Nègre mentions for the commercial rescission seem trivial and somewhat unfounded.
On the accusations about disloyal competition and fraud, we must clarify that the recently founded company Air Car Factories S.A., property of Mr. Miguel Celades and other shareholders is, with the help of its own engineers and in collaboration with organizations of recognized prestige, designing a new and completely distinct motor that, logically, has nothing to do with the technology of Mr. Guy Nègre, as explained on our websites motordeaire.com and theaircar.com. This being said any affirmation of fraud can be criminal and constitutes a serious fault of the truth of which the viability is being studied by our lawyers at this moment.
Concerning the use of the status of MDI on the part of Mr. Miguel Celades we must clarify that this statement is entirely untrue, since Mr. Celades has a lot of experience and contacts in the world of communication.
Neither have we tried to create confusion. On our websites we clearly explain that we are a newly founded company and we have nothing to do with MDI, nor with Mr. Guy Nègre.
Our project is open for the participation of people and organizations interested in the commercialization of ecological technologies applied to energy and transportation like many other companies on a worldwide level that, at the moment, already have air compressed motors applied in the automotive industry and are already available on the market, and are certainly not the property of Mr. Nègre.
Also, we would like to declare that, in perspective of the present behavior of Mr. Guy Nègre we are sorry to have contributed our effort, investment and illusions, as well as our portfolio of clients, some with great personal entailment and who are still waiting for the fulfillments of the agreements signed with MDI.
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Investors in Spain could be worried ...
For those who read spanish:
http://espacioexterior.blogspot.com
My impression is that the Air Car (only compressed air) is not efficient nor ecological.
A galine car of the same power, weight, etc that an air car is more efficient and ecological.
To compress/store air is very inefficient, and the energy you need poluted the environment (electricity from carbon, gas, oil).
Many people told me the real business is selling "manufacturing licenses" to naive investors.
Greetings, Heriberto.
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Chris M 10:06AM (3/02/2008)
Scuderi has his own "split cycle" hybrid compressed air engine, radically different than the MDI design. Scuderi is looking for funding and/or production facilities, unless Mr Celades can provide either or both, they don't have much to talk about.
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John Weber 6:50PM (3/10/2008)
I watched for the first time a program on the discovery channel the featured "The Air Car" along with other futuristic types of automobiles. I was interested in the distance traveled on the compressed air tanks. Here on the Gulf Coast of Texas, United States of America, The people are using golf carts which are either electric or petroleum powered in these smaller communities. They use them to even go grocery shopping and to take the children to school at times.
What are the practical abilities of this type of vehicle?
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MOHIT 2:20AM (4/01/2008)
“ZERO FUEL VEHICLE” Concept Car.
WIND Energy will recharge the Batteries to Drive Electric Motor.
Respected Sir;
I am a final Year B.Sc (IT) Student from Kuvempu University (Bangalore).I am not an engineering student but, I have an idea in my mind to redesign an electric car into a “ZERO FUEL VEHICLE” Concept car with some upgradations. I want to tell that to the car designers or technical staff. It will be India’s First Electric Car. I am sure it will help in reducing the effects of global warming. At least an experiment can be done to analyze the working of design.
If a specially designed wind turbine is fitted horizontally at the bottom of the car attached to a shaft with toothed gears which finally rotates the motor shaft, then the motor will produce current to recharge the rechargeable batteries while car is moving forward. Then the rechargeable batteries will provide power to another motor which finally rotates the axle of the car.
Solar cells or NANO Paint can be fixed on the roof which will provide extra charge to the batteries.
I am doing research on Humanoid Robots from 2004.I am searching for a job to use my income to Buy a toy car and experiment with above idea. I will place a hand-made turbine with worm gears which will rotate the DC Servo motor to produce current and charge the mobile rechargeable batteries.
Please reply me with your views and suggestions at:-
mohitjindal_niit@yahoo.co.in
Thanks.
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tom harwick 7:10PM (7/10/2008)
Mohit, you are proposing a perpetual motion machine. It wont work.
chad 7:20PM (9/21/2008)
i'm sorry but the turbine won't work.....well at least wont give you any more electricity because of the drag that it's putting onto the car......good idea but the turbine own't work
Chris M 3:23AM (4/01/2008)
Mohit: I'm afraid you've overestimated the amount of power a small wind turbine can produce, and underestimated the amount of aerodynamic drag it would produce. Adding a wind turbine on a car would reduce the efficiency, causing it to use more fuel or electricity. Don't put it on a car, use a much larger wind turbine high up on a hill to catch the most wind.
Solar cells can add a small amount of power, but are expensive, and on a car would rarely be directly facing the sun and would frequently be shaded. Better to put those expensive solar cells on top of a building, unshaded, facing the sun to get the maximum amount of power for the price.
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Matt 3:49PM (5/15/2008)
Mohit, I don't know what they are teaching the Bachelors of Science in Bangalore, but you definitely have a screw loose. Kudo's to Chris for setting Mohit straight before I did.
And to Heriberto, "To compress/store air is very inefficient, and the energy you need poluted the environment (electricity from carbon, gas, oil).", I don't believe anyone really cares how "efficient" it is to store energy. Look just about everyone gets their electricity from the local grid, if you have a problem with where and or how your electrical company gets and/or produces it's power, take it up with them. Because we honestly don't care. Most of your local grids are going to be getting that electricity from Dam's and Nuclear Power Plants. If your local electric company is burning coal and oil to convert water to steam to turn turbines to create electricity, which is as questionably efficient as ANY OTHER METHOD, take it up with them. Here's an Idea, tell your local electric company to dig a big hydrothermal hole in the ground, or construct a Wind Turbine Farm, or build a Solar Collector, THEN, when you plug in your air compressor to fill up your Air Car, you will have the satisfaction of knowing the electricity your using to compress that air came from a renewable source.
Fawkin, people, I swear to god.
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joanmamm 12:55PM (6/09/2008)
hello, we collaborate with this world in www.moteko.eu
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David A Jones 11:10PM (8/02/2008)
I like to know how to get one.
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Eric wong 9:47PM (8/14/2008)
Obsolutely this is a very effection idea in future life and save our globel . i like it and hopefully it soon can seen , not much people concern about the Green , much more concern about how to make himself wealthy , so this is a obsolutely big impact for those company or people more worried about if the price of fuel fall as shit , i will the one make a big big celebration to talk to myshelf , Hei mate , forget about the petrol station , plug in and pump it , my be we can using our bicycle air pump to top up the air tank , this something exculsive , excellent and extreamly suprising . that's good news if the petroluem price keep going up presently , we will stand away and just say to them `Good Luck Buddy '.That is not a time for bed , keep on eye , ok !
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