Air France and KLM to run a test fleet of the AirPod cars at Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris and Schipol airport in Amsterdam.

(Bild Quelle Cnet.com)

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Among the plethora of alternative fuels mooted to replace oil, the most odd might seem bafflingly simple: air. But MDI International, based in Luxembourg, showed off a car at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show that runs on just that. What motivates the little AirPod concept is the energy from a tank of compressed air stored at a pressure of 5,000 pounds per square inch (PSI).

The AirPod vehicle is small, holding just three passengers, with a single seat facing forwards for the driver and a bench facing backward for two more people. MDI claims a range of more than 112 miles in an urban setting, and less than two minutes to refill the 210-litre air tank. But even though the AirPod can reach speeds of just less than 45mph, the air-powered engine produces only 8 horsepower, suggesting slow acceleration.

Because of the low horsepower, the AirPod is designed to be exceptionally light, weighing in at 220kg. Because the air tank and engine don't take up much room, most of the AirPod is devoted to passenger space. The car is a three-wheeler, and the driver uses a joystick to turn, rather than a conventional steering wheel.

Although air power means the AirPod drives emission-free, some energy is required to compress air into its tank. MDI puts the cost of a tank refill at just €1 (90p).

MDI has announced deals with Air France and KLM to run a test fleet of the AirPod cars at Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris and Schipol airport in Amsterdam.

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