fossil_digger Report This Comment Date: April 17, 2011 02:21AM
Tata Motors is ready to introduce Air Car - Will it be the next big thing?
Tata Motors is taking giant strides and making history for itself. First the
Land Rover/Jaguar deal, then the world's cheapest car, and now it is also set
to introduce the car that runs on compressed air.
With spiraling fuel prices it is about time we heard some breakthrough!
India's largest automaker, Tata Motors, is set to start producing the world's
first commercial air-powered vehicle.
The Air Car, developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy Negre for
Luxembourg-based MDI, uses compressed air, as opposed to the gas-and-oxygen
explosions of internal-combustion models, to push its engine's pistons. Some
6000 zero-emissions Air Cars are scheduled to hit Indian streets by August
2011.
The Air Car, called the "MiniCAT" could cost around Rs. 3,475,225
($8,177.00) in India and would have a range of around 300 km between
refuels.
The cost of a refill would be about Rs. 85 ($2.00)
The MiniCAT which is a simple, light urban car, with a tubular chassis that is
glued, not welded, and a body of fiberglass powered by compressed air.
Microcontrollers are used in every device in the car, so one tiny radio
transmitter sends instructions to the lights, indicators, etc.
There are no keys - just an access card which can be read by the car from your
pocket. According to the designers, it costs less than 50 rupees per 100 Km
(about a tenth that of a petrol car). Its mileage is about double that of the
most advanced electric car (200 to 300 km or 10 hours of driving), a factor
which makes a perfect choice in cities where 80% of motorists drive at less
than 60 Km. The car has a top speed of 105 Kmph.
Refilling the car will, once the market develops, take place at adapted petrol
stations to administer compressed air. In two or three minutes, and at a cost
of approximately 100 rupees, the car will be ready to go another 200-300
kilometers.
As a viable alternative, the car carries a small compressor which can be
connected to the mains (220V or 380V) and refill the tank in 3-4 hours. Due to
the absence of combustion and, consequently, of residues, changing the oil (1
litre of vegetable oil) is necessary only every 50,000 Km).
The temperature of the clean air expelled by the exhaust pipe is between 0-15
degrees below zero, which makes it suitable for use by the internal air
conditioning system with no need for gases or loss of power.
fossil_digger Report This Comment Date: April 17, 2011 02:25AM
how is this little "honey" gonna be pimped out?
jgoins Report This Comment Date: April 17, 2011 10:46AM
Maybe you can refuel in emergencies with a bicycle pump. If air pressure in a
tire gets low just take a hose out of the trunk and air the tire from the fuel
tank. Squeeze the exhaust pipe together just right and drive dogs crazy
everywhere you go. Very cool idea for a car, how long before the oil companies
buys up the patent and shelves it?
K Phillips Report This Comment Date: April 18, 2011 12:40AM
If this car does not get produced for the US even though it works over in
India, there needs to be a massive protest because then we will know it was
bought by the oil companies!! We need a vehicle that can be ran cheaper than
gas. Prices keep going up and this idea is a great one all around. Wonder if the
oil companies would find a way to control the price of compressed air if the car
became a hit? LOL
jgoins Report This Comment Date: April 18, 2011 11:19AM
This motor will go the way of the 300 mpg carburetor. It will lay on the shelf
of some oil company.
Justamomentplease Report This Comment Date: April 25, 2011 06:52PM
Yes, this is what we need. But the person who invented it will need to go into
hiding, as the US Govt. and other authorities
will be after their head and destroy the blueprints. Do you think they'll let
those in the free world be in control of
something that they will not profit from? Remember, back in the 1930's, a
chemist invented a chemical powder that had the same properties as gasoline when
added to water. Soon after attempting to patent his invention, he vanished
from the face of the earth along with his formulas. Oh and his name too......
jgoins Report This Comment Date: April 26, 2011 09:46AM
They do not need to make people disappear, they just give them obscene amounts
of money for their inventions and sign nondisclosure agreements. I don't
remember bakc in the 1930's, I couldn't see or hear from inside my father's
pants and I was too busy swimming around with my millions of brothers and
sisters..
