Air-Electric Drive System

TSI AV · 04-04-2008, 12:09 PM

TRY,

Is this car available (or will be) in Europe soon ?

Please advise appx price if possible.

rgds,

Andrei

TRY · 04-04-2008, 12:44 PM

According to licences signed, the green car (Automotive X-prize entry) will be available in 2009 at approx 6.5-7K euro.
So far no agreements have been signed in your area.

The Reverend · 04-04-2008, 03:20 PM

Pics of the green monster can be found here:

http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/...ze-competitor/

Doesn't look very comfortable to me.

TRY · 04-05-2008, 05:20 AM

Was not designed nor engineered to be pretty or stylish, but to be efficient, clean, cheap to run.
Then, style and design are always a very personal opinion.
Mexico was our first licence-country.

I was asked to stick to yachting, car messages from now on as private therefore, thanks.

K1W1 · 04-05-2008, 08:57 AM

Hi,

Yes I meant tanks.

If it the engine develops 10 kW for an hour on 100L of air at 300 Bar how much of the 10 kW developed will be needed to recompress the air to keep the engine running?

Another thought worth considering is 10 kW is only useful for a very small boat it would need given your figures 2.4 Cu M of air compressed at 300 Bar to run for 24 Hrs- that is a lot of space on a small boat.

TRY · 04-05-2008, 12:54 PM

Dear K1W1,

1. Only air-power: you're right, limited range. But an average day cruising with a little to medium size boat (one has to start somewhere, no?) involves 3 hours motoring on average.
At cruising speed this means some 250-300 liters of air at 300 bars, with 2 (small) engines.
At night you re-plenish the air-tanks with the shore-power and the built in compressor.

2. Dual energy: air + any-fuel.
Thermo-dynamic cycle was expained some replies ago, but in short it goes like this: air intake > compression with the built-in compression pistons (lose some 30% power) > external combustion with any-fuel (at temps lower than to generate NOx) > expansion of the heated + compressed air > exhaust.

This allows for a very important range with small air-tanks and small any-fuel tanks (consumption approx 0.8L/HR).

Perhaps "seeing is believing"!
You're more than welcome.

K1W1 · 04-05-2008, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRY

Perhaps "seeing is believing"!
You're more than welcome.

Hi,

Where can this actually be seen operating?

TRY · 04-06-2008, 01:38 AM

Engines at the development factory: now
In car application: at the development factory, now
Marine installation: South of France: mid next year

K1W1 · 04-06-2008, 01:58 AM

Hi,

Will the development centre show these things to anyone who is interested and fronts up there?

TRY · 04-06-2008, 02:09 AM

We have no guided tour service.
Potential (and selected) licensees and selected press may visit upon invitation.
General public can visit the showroom however, where cars, genset, engine cutaways, chassis, etc are displayed, during normal business hours.

K1W1 · 04-06-2008, 02:32 AM

Hi,

Are any of the models shown in the display centre able to be seen operating?

What are the normal business hours of the centre?

TRY · 04-06-2008, 06:23 AM

The genset runs perfectly with a string of lamps for demo-purposes.
A demo car is available.
But general public can just visit, look around, take pictures, etc.
Like in a normal car show-room, right?
Further, did you ever try to visit GM's or Daimler's R&D department?

K1W1 · 04-06-2008, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRY

The genset runs perfectly with a string of lamps for demo-purposes.
A demo car is available.
But general public can just visit, look around, take pictures, etc.
Like in a normal car show-room, right?
Further, did you ever try to visit GM's or Daimler's R&D department?

Hi,

There must be a lot of lamps for 10 kW.

I have not been to GM or Daimlers R & D Depts but have been lucky enough to visit MTU and CATERPILLAR R & D Depts over the course of my career.

TSI AV · 04-06-2008, 07:42 AM

I regret that I couldn't visit MDI due to lack of time in Cannes.

ok, will try somewhere in May.

Anyone else ?

It's quite well explained on i-net site how to get there... www.mdi.lu

rgds,

Andrei

TRY · 04-07-2008, 06:40 AM

Andrei, I'm a bit confused; I expected your reply by email.

Well, since you're going for a "Yachtforums-visit" please note that apart from the endless long weekends in France during the whole of May, we're also traveling quite a lot.
If you would like to see something more than the showroom, please give me notice, asap.
Looking forward to meeting you all!