Rare Car Archive

Makes › MDI France › AIRPod (2008-) · Prototype · Visionary project

MDI
AIRPod (2008-)

A compressed-air three/four-seat urban vehicle developed by the small maker MDI as prototypes; series production was announced for 2009 but did not begin.

Still being researched: identification guide. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.

IDENTIFICATION CARD · MDI AIRPOD (2008-)
No licensed photograph yet. Photographs are published only when their licence permits it.
?ProductionNot yet verified
0Chassis documentedin this archive
?SurvivingNot yet verified
Contents
  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Production & history
  3. 03Specifications
  4. 04Colours & options
  5. 05Individual cars
  6. 06Reference

01Overview

At a glance

Built
Not yet verified
Years
Not yet verified
Engine
Compressed-air engine with active chamber (type 44P06) · 180 cc / 0.2 LFactory: 180 cc
Power
4 kW / 5.44 PSFactory: 4 kW
Top speed
70 km/hFactory: 70 km/h
Body
Not yet verified
Designer
Not yet verified
In this archive
Not yet verified
Surviving
Not yet verified

Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.

Why it matters

The AIRPod is a small urban vehicle by MDI, the company of engineer Guy Negre, that runs on compressed air instead of fuel or batteries. MDI presented it as the first of its concepts to leave the production line, but it has not reached commercial production. It remains a documented example of an alternative-propulsion project from a small independent maker.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Model rarityNot yet assessed Production figure not yet verified.
Specification rarityNot yet assessed
Colour rarityNot yet assessed
Individual rarityNot yet assessed
Historical rarityNot yet assessed
Survival rarityNot yet assessed

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

02Production & history

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

No production figures recorded yet.

History

MDI's 2008 product page announced the AIRPod for production in spring 2009 and said it would answer the Paris Autolib' tender. The page described a standard version for up to four people, a single-seat AIRPod Cargo and a two-seat AIRPod Baby, all steered with a mini joystick.

A 2025 article (level D, enthusiast reporting) states that after two decades of announcements and tests the model has not reached commercial production, that no AIRPod had been delivered to the public by 2018 and that MDI continued to present new prototypes. The number of prototypes built is not given in the cached pages.

Variants

How each version differs from the standard AIRPod (2008-).

No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

03Specifications

Technical specifications

Engine

Engine familyNot yet verified
Engine codeNot yet verified
LayoutCompressed-air engine with active chamber (type 44P06)1
Displacement 180 cc / 0.2 LFactory: 180 cc1Active chamber plus expansion cylinder, as stated.
BoreNot yet verified
StrokeNot yet verified
Compression ratioNot yet verified
Fuel systemNot yet verified
Power 4 kW / 5.44 PSFactory: 4 kW1Claimed figure at 18 bar; page marks data as non-contractual and subject to change.
Power atNot yet verified
Torque 15 NmFactory: 15 Nm1

Transmission & drivetrain

GearboxNot yet verified
GearsNot yet verified
Driven wheelsNot yet verified

Chassis, body & dimensions

ChassisNot yet verified
Front suspensionDiabolo front axle (two wheels)2
Rear suspensionTrailing arms2
BrakesRear disc brakes2
SteeringJoystick control, with steering by differential speed of the rear wheels2
Body constructionComposite sandwich (glass fibre / polyurethane foam)1
WheelbaseNot yet verified
Length 2.07 mFactory: 2.07 m1
Width 1.6 mFactory: 1.6 m1
Height 1.74 mFactory: 1.74 m1
Front trackNot yet verified
Rear trackNot yet verified
Kerb weight 220 kgFactory: 220 kg1
Dry weight 220 kgFactory: 220 kg2Empty weight of the standard AIRPod per MDI. The existing record has a kerb-weight figure that may be the same value; check before publishing.

Performance

Maximum speed 70 km/hFactory: 70 km/h145 km/h in the licence-free version, 70 km/h with licence; the 2025 article quotes 80 km/h.
0–100 km/hNot yet verified
Fuel tank 175 LFactory: 175 L2This is the compressed-air tank capacity (stored at 350 bar), not a fuel tank.

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

04Colours & options

Factory colours & interiors

Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Factory options & codes

Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

05Individual cars

Chassis register

Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Competition history

Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Auction & sale history

Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

See one in person

Museums where an example of this car can be seen.

No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

06Reference

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    AIRPod (MDI product page, archived 2008) Level A MDI Enterprises S.A.
    • Moteur 44P06 a chambre active
    • 180 (chambre active + cylindre detente)
    • 4 kW (5.45 cv) sous 18 bars
    • Couple maxi (Nm) 15
    • Sandwich composite (fibre de verre / mousse polyurethane)
    • Longueur (m) 2.07
    • Largeur (m) 1.60
    • hauteur (m) 1.74
    • Poids a vide (kg) 220
    • 45 km/h sans permis - 70 km/h avec permis
    Accessed 2026-11-13
  2. 2
    AIRPod (MDI English site, 2008 capture) Level A MDI Motor Development International · 2008-10-13
    • Diabolo deux roues
    • Bras tirés
    • Disques arrières
    • Par gestion différentielle de la vitesse des roues arrières
    • Poids à vide (kg) 220
    • Volume du réservoir (litres) 175
    Accessed 2026-11-13

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