Compressed Air Car
http://www.mdi.lu/eng/affiche_eng.php?page=onecats
About us 
The MDI Group of Companies are involved in Research and Development of new technologies, and, Production Concepts for sustainable energy source without any pollution. MDI has already registered several patents for the Compressed Air Engines developed by its research department, which has focused on improving the efficiency of the engines.
MDI has also developed an Industrial Concept whereby Turnkey Factories can be set up to manufacture the cars in local areas where the cars will eventually be sold. So far, the development has resulted in a range of products that include:
- Cars
- An Urban Transport System
- Pallet Trucks and Tractors for the use of Industries
- Power Generator Units
all, operating completely pollution free !
Guy NEGRE, the CEO founder of MDI Group, is an Aeronautics Engineer and a trained engine manufacturer. From the earliest time in his career, he has focused his research on improving efficiency of engines. Amongst his many accomplishments the most prominent are the development of a rotary distributor for the R8 GORDINI which developed 152 hp at 11,000 rpm, engine of civil aviation, and, the development of a 3.5L W12 engine for Formula 1 towards the end of the eighties. It is around that time, in view of the environmental issues, that he decided to do something about saving the planet and became interested in developing a zero pollution engine and eventually established, in 1991, the company now known as the MDI Group.
History :
- 1991 : Motor Development International, SA established and registered.
- 1996 : First Compressed Air Engine developed.
- 1998 : First Taxi running on Compressed Air introduced.
- 1999 : The MDI Industrial Concept created.
- 2000 : MDI moved to their present site in Carros.
- 2002 : The device for stopping pistons at top dead centre developed.
- 2004 : A new Compressed Air Engine, Type-41 Mono and Dual-Energy, developed capable of operating using various additives.
- 2005 : The Active Chamber, a device that significantly improves engine efficiency, developed.
| Compressed Air Engines |
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More than ten years of research and development in the field of Compressed Air Technology (CAT) has yielded CATs Type-41 engines of two categories. The Mono-Energy engines, which can drive a vehicle “completely clean” with “zero pollution”, operating in urban areas using compressed air only. Whereas, the Dual-Energy engines, using supplementary energy source of minimum quantity of either fossil fuels (petrol, diesel or LPG) or biofuels (vegetable oil, alcohol, biodiesel or even gas), producing ultra-low level of pollution, in non-urban or rural areas, require :
- Less than 2 litres per 100 kilometres (over 140 miles per gallon) in non-urban areas.
- Zero Nitrogen Oxides.
- Three to 4000 times less un-burnt hydrocarbon than a conventional car engine.
- Three times less Carbon Dioxide emission than a conventional car engine of same power.
Based on this new Technology, MDI is now in the process of developing a “thermodynamic concept” that will enhance these results even further, over the next ten years, thus initiating a genuine energy revolution.
The MDI Engines are protected by many patents registered worldwide. They consist of an active chamber and are made up of modules of two opposing cylinders. These modules can be coupled to make groups of 4 or 6 cylinders for a wide range of uses from 4 to 75 hp in the following applications :
MDI CityCATs and MiniCATs Clean Cars
The MDI MultiCATs Urban Transport System
Electricity Power Generators and Emergency Generators
Tow Tractors, Pallet Trucks and Hoists
Agricultural Tractors
Outboard Motors
Light Aircraft Engines and APU units
MDI also intends to continue developing high-power engines (200 hp and above) for buses and trucks.
Type 41 engine
In respect to the emerging markets of rapidly growing countries, the need for an ultra efficient car with minimum Carbon Dioxide emission is vitally important in view of the current global climatic concerns.
Almost all the car manufacturers have been seeking for such vehicles. Renault has developed the Logan, a hardy but conventional car, for a price of € 5,000 in Romania and € 7,500 in Europe..
Such a car must be able to run economically and efficiently without contributing towards any polluting factors in over populated and heavily polluted cities.
OneCATs Design
Based on its Industrialisation Concept and using its knowledge base, MDI initiated Research into an extremely fuel-efficient, utilitarian, Clean Car with following salient features:
- Zero pollution in urban areas when running only on compressed air.
- Very low consumption and negligible pollution in rural areas running on compressed air with an additional energy source.
With the invention of MDI’s light-weight engines, utilising this inexpensive technology, this challenge has been met.
Technical features of the OneCATs:
Picture of the OneCATs :
 A OneCATs with hardtop |
The MiniCATs is an urban and suburban car that measures 2.62 metres (8.6 ft) long, with three seats and a large luggage compartment. It is both a utility and a recreational vehicle, and has been carefully designed to offer a maximum of interior space. Its central driving position gives it excellent visibility and exceptional safety.
With the MiniCATs, all pollution is completely eliminated in urban areas by using the 100% Compressed Air operating mode.
A MiniCATs on the test track
Refilling:
- The car has a built-in on-board system that can be simply plugging into a mains power outlet to refill the tanks with compressed air. The moto-alternator reverses the process which compresses the air and fills up the tanks. The compressed air reserves are thus refilled by using the national power grid. Refilling time for the MiniCATs is about five and a half hours using a 230V outlet. This is the most important advantage of the MDI Technology.
- Compressed Air Storage System is simple and MDI is planning to install a network of such “Filling Stations” where vehicles can be refilled, in three minutes, by connecting the Car Tanks to the outlet from the Storage System.
Structure:
The chassis of the MiniCATs consists of aluminium tubes super-glued onto cast aluminium plates. The bodywork is a double skin of foam-injected glass fibre, for strength and insulation. These technologies make the MiniCATs incredibly light.
Technical features of the MiniCATs:
Pictures of the MiniCATs :
 A MiniCATs on the workshop assembling |  Aluminium chassis |
Designed to replace the first generation of CityCATs (which served mainly as a test vehicle), the CityCATs 2, compared to its predecessor, is larger and more comfortable, has a common brand identity with the MiniCATs and its concepts, and benefits from an industrial rationalisation that keeps its price particularly competitive. The research undertaken in developing the style, the ergonomics and the spacious interior for the MiniCATs has benefited the CityCATs 2.
A double-cabin pick-up-monospace design
For the first time, bodywork has been designed so that it can be truly modular, and consequently more than ten different versions can be produced from a single basic vehicle. A double-cabin pick-up-monospace, sedan, taxi, business car, station wagon, van (with or without raised roof, with or without windows) and a few more. All by simply changing the rear hardtop and a few interior elements.
Between three and six passengers can be seated, according to the version: three in utility vehicles and six in the sedan, monospace or station wagon.
The CityCATs 2 is a car that combines utility with comfort. The amount of space for passengers makes it a limousine, especially in the rear, where there is plenty of elbow and legroom for a comfortable trip.
The dashboard retains the arch concept introduced in the MiniCATs, thus also giving more space for the driver and his neighbours.
The luggage compartment of the MiniCATs is huge considering the small dimensions of the car (550 to 700 dm3 (19.4 to 24.7 ft3) against 2.65 m (8.7 ft) long car). Comparatively, that of the CityCATs is gigantic (1200 dm3 (42.4 ft3), with the rear shelf and bench seat in place! As for the utility version, it can transport more than 3 m3 (106 ft3) of goods. And all this in a car of only 4.10 m (13.4 ft) length!
The CityCATs 2 also maintains the idea of the central driving position and in the sedan version, there are six roomy seats.
The CityCATs 2 will be equipped with 4 and 6 cylinder engines, and production will begin one year after the MiniCATs for an average weighted price of € 13,000 (taxes not included).
Technical features of the CityCATs:
Examples of CityCATs interior :
 TAXI concept |  BUSINESS concept |
This is an entirely new concept in urban public transport. The MultiCATs is in the form of a train on wheels, being made up of modules consisting of a driver module and several transport modules.
Each motorized module is fitted with a MDI Type-41 engine, with its own compressed air tanks and its own programmable steering (electric/electronic) system which precisely reproduces the steering movements of the driver module and rigorously follows its path.
Each transport module is remote-controlled by wire guidance from the driver module.
Acceleration and braking of the modules are coordinated with the driver module, and positioning sensors between the modules ensure great precision and the maintenance of the distance between each module.
The driver module contains all the controls of the transport module: door opening, lighting, heating, air conditioning and more.
The driver and transport modules are equipped with the technologies developed by MDI for their non-polluting cars:
- Glued aluminium chassis.
- Double-skin laminated bodywork with a polyurethane foam core.
- Single wire electrical circuit.
- The modules will be equipped with air suspension.
A multiCATs on the Kennedy Plaza
The Passenger MultiCATs:
This is, at the same time, a mini-bus, a medium-sized bus, a normal bus and a large-capacity articulated-type bus. The MultiCATs is unbeatable for urban area transport.
- Zero pollution
- Adaptable to passenger traffic needs
- Economical to use
- Economical to buy
- No costly infrastructure required
- Easy handling in heavy traffic
- The MultiCATs is free :
A Municipal Authority could lease the MultiCATs and use them instead of their conventional buses for a daily cost lower than the daily fuel cost of the replaced buses.
- Free transport for passengers :
Totally Free Urban Transport for passengers can be envisaged, because the MultiCATs is very economical to run. The running costs could easily be covered by advertisements placed on the vehicle and the on-board displays.
The MultiCATs Transporter :
Based on the same operating principle and modules as the passenger MultiCATs, the MultiCATs transporter offers easy-to-use, medium-to-heavy utility vehicles.
The driver control module is a van of 1500 Kg (1.5 ton) - 10 m3 (353 ft3). In traffic, it is totally clean - "zero pollution" – as it operates on its compressed air reserves only. Then it can be used in non-urban areas with an “additional energy” for extremely low fuel consumption (less than 5 litres per 100 Km or 56 mpg) and minimum pollution.
A new concept of delivery round can thus be envisaged: the outskirts of an urban area are supplied by modules 3 and 4, the inner suburbs by module 2, and the centre with just the driver module.
- Zero pollution
- Adaptable to transport needs in terms of weights and volumes
- Economical to use
- Easy handling in any type of traffic
A MultiCATs on the promenade des anglais, Nice
3300 Kg - 26 m3 
5200 Kg - 42 m3 
MFg
Chalifmann
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