>Citation bot at 04:22, 2 August 2021

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{{about|the car|Apple's wireless earphones|AirPods}}
[[Image:MDI Air Pod (1).JPG|thumb|right|MDI AirPod at the 2009 [[Geneva Motor Show]]]]
The '''AIRPod''' is a [[compressed-air vehicle]] in development by [[Motor Development International]] <nowiki/>.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2010/12/10/ctw.anderson.air.car.cnn?hpt=C2 Meet the AIRPod], CNN 10 December 2010</ref> The AIRPod is planned to be produced in three different configurations that will vary the number of seats and amount of cargo storage while keeping the same basic chassis.<ref>[http://www.mdi.lu/english/airpod.php AIRPod]. Motor Development International</ref> It is designed as a zero-emission urban vehicle. Prototypes have been tested by [[KLM/AirFrance]] for use as emission-free vehicles in airports.

MDI has been promising production of the AirPod each year since 2000. As of October 2018, not a single production car has been created. Zero Pollution Motors promised production by mid-2019.<ref>https://zeropollutionmotors.us/</ref>

== Technical characteristics ==
(Range, mileage, and speed are claimed by MDI with no independent verification){{citationneeded|date=January 2017}}

{| border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="2" width="99%"
|- style="background:#C9C8C4;"
! Technical Characteristics
! width="177" | AIRPod
! colspan="2" width="177" | AIRPod Cargo
|-
| '''Type'''
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | Urban carrier without driving licence
|- style="background:#EAEAEA;"
| '''Number of Seats'''
| style="text-align:center;" | '''3-4'''
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | '''1'''
|-
| '''Length (m)'''
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | '''2.07'''
|- style="background:#EAEAEA;"
| '''Width (m)'''
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | '''1.60'''
|-
| | <div align="left">'''Height (m)'''</div>
| colspan="3" | <div align="center">'''1.74'''</div>
|-
| bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="left">'''Turning radius (m)'''</div>
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="center">'''1.90'''</div>
|-
| | <div align="left">'''Weight when empty (kg)'''</div>
| | <div align="center">'''220'''</div>
| colspan="2" | <div align="center">'''210'''</div>
|-
| bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="left">'''Useful cargo (kg)'''</div>
| bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="center">'''-'''</div>
| colspan="2" class="news" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="center">'''300'''</div>
|-
| bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | <div align="left">'''Cargo (m³)'''</div>
| bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | <div align="center">'''-'''</div>
| colspan="2" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" | <div align="center">'''1.10'''</div>
|-
| bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="left">'''Motor'''</div>
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="center">'''44P06 à chambre active'''</div>
|-
| | <div align="left">'''Total cylinder volume (cm³)'''</div>
| colspan="3" | <div align="center">'''180 (active chamber + expansion chamber)'''</div>
|-
| class="news" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="left">'''Maximum power (kW)'''</div>
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="center">'''4 kW (5.45 cv) with 18 bars'''</div>
|-
| class="news" | <div align="left">'''Maximum torque (Nm)'''</div>
| colspan="3" | <div align="center">'''15'''</div>
|-
| class="news" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="left">'''Chassis / Body'''</div>
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="center">'''Composite sandwich (glass fiber / polyurethane foam) '''</div>
|-
| | <div align="left">'''Front wheels'''</div>
| colspan="3"| <div align="center">'''2 wheel "Diabolo"'''</div>
|-
| class="news" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="left">'''Train arrière'''</div>
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="center">'''Bras tirés'''</div>
|-
| class="news" | <div align="left">'''Tires '''</div>
| colspan="3" | <div align="center">'''Front : 10×4.00-5 Rear :  100/90-16'''</div>
|-
| class="news" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="left">'''Brakes'''</div>
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <div align="center">'''Rear discs '''</div>
|-
| class="news" | <div align="left">'''Steering'''</div>
| colspan="3" | <div align="center">'''Differential adjustment of read wheel speed'''</div>
|-
| class="news" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | '''Energy Recovery'''
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <center>'''Electronically controlled alternators during braking '''</center>
|-
| '''Tank'''
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | '''Carbon fiber on thermoplastic'''
|-
| bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | ''Tank Volume (litres) '''
| colspan="3"bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <center>'''175'''</center>
|-
| '''Tank pressure (bar)'''
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | '''350'''
|-
| bgcolor="#EAEAEA" |'''Stability control'''
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <center>''' Gyroscopic assisted system with control of trajectory'''</center>
|-
|'''Rear view'''
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | '''LCD screen'''
|-
| bgcolor="#EAEAEA" |'''Active Security'''
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <center>'''External airbag'''</center>
|-
| '''Steering control'''
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | '''Joystick'''
|-
| bgcolor="#EAEAEA" |'''Electronics''
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <center>'''Onboard Calculator for steering and motor management'''</center>
|-
| valign="top" | '''Maximum Speed (km/h)'''
| colspan="3" class="news" | <center>'''45 km/h without license – 70 km/h with license'''</center>
|-
| bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | '''Range in urban cycle (km)'''
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" | <center>'''220'''</center>
|-
| | <div align="left">'''Refuel time (minute)'''</div>
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | '''1.5'''
|-
| bgcolor="#EAEAEA" valign="top" | '''Cost per 100 km (€)'''
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#EAEAEA" valign="top" | <center>'''0.5'''</center>
|}

== Production model ==
In September 2013, it was claimed that the vehicle would be on sale from summer 2014 with a base model with 100 km range starting at 7000 Euros, and one with an improved engine, that uses some fuel in addition to the compressed air, giving 250 km range for 8000 Euros. The vehicles will be manufactured in [[Bolotana]], [[Sardinia]], [[Italy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sardegnaoggi.it/Scienza_e_Tecnologia/2013-09-20/22916/Airpod_a_Bolotana_la_prima_auto_ad_aria_compressa_made_in_Sardegna.html|title = Sardegna Oggi: Notizie e informazione regionale}}</ref>
In August 2014, MDI posted photos of a partially completed demonstration assembly line in their [[Carros]] R&D facility, and illustrations and descriptions of the proposed finished assembly line.<ref>[http://www.mdi.lu/2014%20actualite.php MDI News page] (French) press release dated 2014-08-07, with [http://www.mdi.lu/telechargements/Ligne%20de%20prodution%20Airpod%20.pdf attached PDF] (visited 2014-08-14)</ref> In March 2016, they posted images showing construction of the forthcoming factory in Sardinia as "underway".

=== US production and sales ===
The vehicles were promoted on the US reality television show ''[[Shark Tank]]'' in May 2015 by [http://zeropollutionmotors.us Zero Pollution Motors], where [[Robert Herjavec]] offered $5 million for a 50% share in the business which proposed to sell the AirPod for $10,000. Zero Pollution Motors owns the right to build a production plant and has proposed setting up a plant in Hawaii.<ref>{{cite web|title=ROBERT BUYS AIR-POWERED CAR! - Shark Tank|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68ZEHnsKvKM|website=YouTube|accessdate=24 August 2017}}</ref> The investment deal fell through because the company did not hold the rights across North America.<ref>{{cite web|title=Zero Pollution Motors $5M AirPod Deal Fell Through After Shark Tank|url=http://2paragraphs.com/2016/08/zero-pollution-motors-5m-airpod-deal-fell-through-after-shark-tank/|website=2paragraphs|accessdate=24 August 2017}}</ref> The company's website said production in Europe was to be scheduled for the first quarter of 2018 and would accept order reservations.

== See also ==
* [[Compressed air car]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.mdi.lu/airpod-story-en AIRPod 2.0 Web Page]
* [https://www.mdi.lu/home Motor Development International Website]
* [http://zeropollutionmotors.us Zero Pollution Motors]

[[Category:Alternative fuels]]
[[Category:Economy of Sardinia]]

AIRPod - Revision history

>Citation bot at 04:22, 2 August 2021