Tata Motors is taking giant strides and making history for itself. First the Landrover-Jaguar deal, then the world’s cheapest car and now it is also set to introduce the car that runs on air, compressed air to be specific.
With fuel prices touching nearly $150 per barrel, it is about time we heard some breakthrough !
India’s largest automaker Tata Motors is set to start producing the world’s first commercial air-powered vehicle. The Air Car, developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy Nègre for Luxembourg-based MDI, uses compressed air, as opposed to the gas-and-oxygen explosions of internal-combustion models, to push its engine’s pistons. Some 6000 zero-emissions Air Cars are scheduled to hit Indian streets in August of 2008.
The Air Car, called the MiniCAT could cost around Rs. 3,50,000 ($ 8177) in India and would have a range of around 300 km between refuels.
The cost of a refill would be about Rs. 85 ($ 2). Tata motors also plans to launch the world’s cheapest car, Tata Nano priced famously at One lakh rupees by October.
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 100Km (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 the 80% of motorists drive at less than 60Km. 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 50,000Km.] 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.
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Author: Arun Prabhudesai
Arun Prabhudesai is founder / chief editor at trak.in. He jumped the Entrepreneurship bandwagon in early 2008 after a long 13 year stint in I.T Industry. You can follow him on twitter @trakin or get in touch with him at admin-at-trak-dot-in or 91.9822575676.Related posts:
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- Tata Nano to be launched on March 3rd
- India needs Tata Prius and not Tata Nano
- Rs. 1 Lakh Tata car will be unveiled, a decade after announcement
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- After air car, its time for water Car
- Will the Nano come out on time and at what price?
- Indian Automotive Industry- The sector that is creating waves globally !
- To hell with the credit crunch, Tata to sponsor Ferrari Formula one team
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{ 96 comments… read them below or add one }
hope its not a lot of hot air……
meanwhile, can we get beta testing invites for this? ;)
every effort to be used to promote this venture.in times of high oil prices and global warming, by proper pricing strategy and support from govt. it should be made a success.
Dont you think that Aug 2008 is too early? Is it air car or Nano that they are mentioning?
No Philip, It is MiniCAT, actually I too was surprised hearing the launch date, but thats what is out to public right now…
Lets hope the plans doesnt just remain as plans and they actually come out with both the Nano and MiniCAT
Great Job . Tata motors .. !!!
Hoping the air car is ready by August 2008, The whole world is waiting impatiently. I suppose gas is going up because the petroleum companies are going to loose 100 percent as soon as the air car is manufactured, so the petroleum companies want to make as much as they can. This kind of greediness will not make them happy. I dont think the media is portraying the reason for the rise of gas prices, in an honest way. But the truth will come out eventually.
Another good post. Lets hope miniCAT can show the way on how to reduce dependency on ‘oil’. By the way, how is the idea….to buy TAT script at present bear market. TATA’s are really patriots, they dare to take risks to fulfill the dreams of Indians. The companies which find or rely on alternate sources of energy can emerge as winners in the near future…..
i hope this noble cause should be accepted and supported by the govt of india. understanding the present condition of the environment this is definitely a blessing. i wud definitely like to be a proud owner of this tech.
This seems to be really an great invention and seems to be an boon in the prevailing conditions of increase in oil price. If the idea of manufacturing AIR CAR will be implemented successfully and is made available for the public, then there is one more addition of success milestone to TATA motors and INDIA. Longlive TATA !!!!!!! Good Luck !!!!!
Well done Tata motors !.. Oip prices are really killing the fun of motors….
Looking forward to see these cars ON ROAD..
Tata is again making people fool. Till now there is no manufacturing plant of nano in india yet they are saying they will produce this MiniCat. I don’t believe this. They are just making airy promises. Actions speak louder than words. So my msg to TATA’s is be practical.
Khudos to TATA. I am not sure about the Genunity of this news. If this is corret (I wish it is correct) and the Product is successfull, this would be one of the greatest moment of our era.
The news itself creating waves in the mind.
This guy from TaTa better watch his back. He might want to hire some body guards too. I am sure there are some oil profiteers i.e. G. Bush and other powerfully evil people would like to see this guy disappear. I would love to this car become an affordable reality in the next 2 yrs. GO TATA GO
Show me your tatas…please?
Pankaj i think your keeping your eyes and ears shut in life, nano is in production in fact i happen to be one of the vendor’s for some of its auto components. curiosity kills a man but never a TATA motors car …
i hope this miniCAT is launched as claimed so that at least the urban drivers can garbage there high fuel consuming vehicles… this is just brilliant!!!
I think its a spam. I havent seen any news about it except on this site. I wish to see this in reality
Dielly needs such cars…
I’m waiting for TATA’s next evolution…!
I am just waiting to be rolled on to the roads.
Less emission, environment friendly and pocket friendly. Why cant the NANO be AIR CAR?
It is a revolution in Indian Auto Market. And I am surely go for ONE.
Its one of the most Expectations of many youth’s, Beleive in Dreams one day it will come True. if Indian Govt don’t give permissions to drive this Beauty atleast it should be used by Hospitals instead of current Ambulance Trend!!!!
Its TATA ’s new range after the France company’s tie up…
This news has been going around for months. Tata at present has a agreement to license the technology required to design and make the car. Tata has never announced they’ll actually produce it. Put it down as R&D for potential technologies for future transportation.
MDI has a bad name in the industry and media and they have often announced production of cars based on their technology, without anything actually happening, Sort of like crying wold too often.
Dear Freinds
This concept is not an invention of TATA Motors India.
The Air Cars are already on streets in Spain, and will be started soon in South Africa and also other parts of the world. You can watch the preliminary details (not yet updated) in their official website. The Company name itself Air Car Factories S. A., Barcelona.
http://www.theaircar.com/
& One other company also there (Motor Development International) the actual parent company… but the Air Car Factories SA have no connection with MDI now.
Best Regards
Hamara Bharath Mahan
See our Blog too
very good, its needed!
but ill belive , when ill see it on indian road.
all the best tata motor.
Really unbelievable, but TATA can do it!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have run the numbers and I’m calling bullshit on range (actual range is 300 meters) and payload (actual payload is 5kg).
Hi,
Its very cute to see these type of inovation
Regards
Sujay
This is being discussed on HN. Have a look
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=243046
Does anyone can tell me if this car is true? Why there is no any offical news from Tata motor? It is really production on Aug 2008 ?
I am eagerly waiting for this car to buy. I am ready to buy this car even if its price is more than 5L.But it is our Indian govt responsible to encourage Indians by giving good subsidicies to buy this 0% pollution emission car.
Good luck to TATA.
I hope this will be a very big success for TATA motors. One interesting thing is that it is happening in INDIA. It is great boon given by TATA motors to the public.
Kudos to TATA. See the below given link for details.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7243247.stm
Regards
Chandar
it should be the next big thing…
it should be the next big thing!!!!
good to see one
Excellent efforts…
Right move at the right time…
But we need a perfect pricing strategy which will lead everyone to buy this car. I hope to see decent speed to run in the city and surely not expecting to give great results on highways runs.
Looking forward to see the technical details and pre-launch booking offers…
Good Luck…
tata moters is a real engle for middleman they think about themsalves.ratanji must have awarded" bharatratna".my lots of blessings to him for working .
If this news is true, thats really going to be a revolutionary product. An yes as per the reports its NOT a TATA inventions agreed with that, however ppl claiming that cars with same tech already running on road pls go and chk the websites again. And more than websites chk the authenticity. Anyway, All the best to TATA to combat fuel prices, however is it really going to be an environment friendly car ?? 60-70% electricity generated is generated by burning coal (in India). If the consumption goes high more burning of coal would be req. The electricity that is going to compress air will also come from same source.
If this news about Air compressor Car Invention is true , It is a very wonder full gift to all, Because It will reduce the Fuel conception , and cost of travelling.
With Regards
G.SAIRAM
181/B2, Pethanaickenpalaym,
Pongalor Post ,
P.Pulliampatti (Via)
Coimbatore -638 459
MOBILE :9994441904
IF this new true , this grear & wonderful gift to all, Because it reduces the Fuel conception, and Travelling cost .
With Regards
G.SAIRAM
PVS TEXTILES PRIVATE LIMITED
181/B2 PETHANAICKENPALAYAM
PONGALOR POST
COIMBATORE DIST
PIN – 638 459
MOBILE : 9994441904
Zero emission or not there is still a requirement for some sort of energy to compress the air that it runs on and that process most likely has emissions unless it is hydro electricity.
Been reading a lot about it. I hope Tata does get it in production. I understand the concerns about most electricity being generated from coal now, but this is the first of many steps. It is more environmentally friendly than battery based cars and with the solar and wind technology coming down in price within the next ten years we should see a major explosion in the amount of electricity generated from them.
This is so full of donkey dung. When will you all learn that it is convenience that got us into this mess and only doing things the hard way will get us out?
Moving people around in personal vehicles takes energy input. We did not have cars before we had petroleum. Tata motors is pilfering from their investors pockets.
Throw in a hand pump and an Indian and hey, I’m sold!
I just hope you all have the electric grid for this over there. And never forget, most electricity is still carbon based. Always remember to calculate that in the carbon footprint if this vehicle, unless you’re getting the 5.5kwh from solar or wind.
Hey Bully – SHUT UP!!!!!! I’ve been following the Air Car Development for about 5 years. It was developed in France and they had been looking for investors until TATA came along last year and picked up on it. It’s REAL and it’s HERE NOW !!!!!! So drive your damn gas guzzler til you go broke!!!!
Seems like a day dream ! ! ! !
If Tata is planning to do it why noody else on this earth has done it before ? ? ? ?
If the vital stats of cost and consumption are true every engine on this planate would have been running on plain compressed air.
One should stop and think a lot before buying Tata Motors scrips.
Nitin Thacker
It is nice that people are so concerned about the existance and performance of such a car. But, It is Indian Auto giant TATA’s has a point to prove silencing all these speculations. Of course I haven’t read any where that they are claiming it as their inventions. They are just announcing that "they will launch it in India". I feel that, other(OEM`s) cannot do this because, they have to safe guard their investment in current technology(petrol-diesel).
Thanks to Tata’s for the bold step forward towards economical and environment friendly initiatives. It is a Good tie up. Keep it up.
The problem that I see is acceleration. If you look at the pic, the wheels look really small. This is what you do if your engine can’t produce a lot of torque. No torque, no acceleration.
hi i like this idea it’s cool
This concept is not new: It has been done many times since the 1880’s. And there is another very good system being developed in France right now, which has the ability to harness the energy of the vehicle to re-fill the air tank up to 70% as it is driving . It may possibly soon be able to refill the air up to 100%. This is due to capturing wind, using the cold from the expended air as energy, braking power, and special bernoli-principle valves that add low-pressure air into a high pressure system.
Lol, i wonder what they are going to say to stop this one? Compressed air is hardly possible to use as a "terrorist weapon" ;)
Great effort from tata, lounch of this car will be a Big mile stone in the automobile history, this will help us to save our mother earth from global warming and its effects
Excellent effort and very much required for the people for transportation without polution. My wishes to introduce it quickly.
your idea of air car is good but i wish you to think on water based like petrol based but if it comes it will rule the world
This is a great news…. Infact this technology is already existing for our Tanks- T72 where they use air compressor for ignition(air start). What TATA needs to keep in mind is that how viable it would be for the cosumer. We have REVA in india which also works on electricity and has not been so popular. I suggest it would be great if one has the option of switching to fule mode also. ANy way kudus to TATA .Hope it hits the market very soon….
regardsDebashish Ghosh
So, instead of car ‘crashes’, you will actually be reading about car ‘explosions’, when the AirCar is involved in collisions????
Seriously, I would be interested in seeing results from controlled experiments/crash tests, before I put my money down..
Cool! When does the booking for this start; can anybody confirm?
What a sweet n sexy news! Please enroll my name for the booking.
May God bless Ratan TATA.
-Samuel
is there any specifications about the engine,it’s power….all tat……..
This is what i dreamed before few years and people laughed. Tata came with a fantastic revolutionary alternative, which seems quite possible and realistic . With in next 5 years, petrol or diesel cars will be the history.
Great effort Tata.
Please visit http://www.aircar.com it shall resolve all ur queries.. includin bookin information… cheers to TATA… they had invested 20 million euros on the research..!
Well its almost the end of August and no car as yet.I realy do hope that this car is not going to be smothered as it would be a revelutionary product that would def. change the way we think.And best of all,it would mean that we are not dependant on oil /oil companies.
Good on you mates
Don’t hold your breaths. Tata is in no hurry to make a car that does not need gasoline because it has the Jaguar now. So it will try to sell more Jaguars hoping the people who are dying for some clout will be dumb enough to be buying that gas guzzler till they start running out of fuel money as the price of gas sky rockets. Then everyone will scramble to make the air car because Jaguar will be a piece of junk that nobody wants except the few car collectors. I heard Tata nearly bought the HUMMER!! Now that would be a royal piece of junk to get rid of . A whopping 9 miles per gallon!!! What a beast of financial burden!!! I think Tata is holding back because of the agreements with the French and also because air car is not main stream. There will be many kinks to be hammered out over at least a decade. In the mean time, the company that sticks its head out to make it will be kicked, ridiculed, laughed at for even attempting such a bold idea. Only a private investor can hope to accomplish this and when the modle is perfect can a motor company swoop in and purchase the design from him to mass market. But all the work will already have to be done so the company does not look stupid or loose too much money.
I dont know how far it would take for the entry of air compressed cars in India, but it will be a best option comparably that it doesn’t need the use of fossil fuels to deplete the environment.
I hope it will materialise the minicat. It will help the whole world towards green environment. Ozone layer may be able to heal itself with this new innovation. Good work TATA. Please make it are reality and cost affordable for more people to use it.
I’ve been following the air car story and guy negre, the inventor, as well as many other involved enterprises since 1996, when I lived closed by the initial point of the air cars invetion, closed to Nice, France at the technical university. The problem is that they have been announcing a lot for 12 years now, but nothing at all has become real. They started by only creating engines that run on air. They wanted to implement these engines into Mexico City Taxis to lower air pollution over there. That never happend. Then they came up with the mini cat, worked on it for 8 years now and still don’t have it on line production. No they’ve signed with tata motors of india (march 2007). And tata motors said they were going to go line production by aug. 2008. Now it’s spetember and I haven’t heard anything about any air car running on the roads anywhere.I wish so much that people would finally get their crap together and move their butts to realy do something good for our environment, not only looking at them numbers.
GOODDAY, I AM MR LEE CHRISTOFFELS, I SAW YOUR AIR CAR AND I BECAME INTRESTED, IT SUCH A NICE CAR, SO HOW MUCH WILL IT COST ME AND HOW WILL I MAKE THE PAYMENT,
Lets get a look at these autos and tell us how much they will cost in Indian
currency. Please respond asap. Thankyou so kindly,
Robert Britten USA
Ihave heard all kind of talk during this election year about Energy Independence from the anti american muslem oboma and the old vet senator McCain and I have yet to hear any talk about the air car. mabey someone should inform them about the air with cars running air and the big trucks running on natural gas we could have a super charged version of the pickens plan this could get us off the imported oil in five years instead of ten. and with wind turbins generating electrical power we could clean up the pollution so somebody please ask this question about the air car and the pickens plan at the next debate!!!
هذه تعد بدايه الوقوف علي الحد من استخدام الطاقه ولكن مؤخرا و بطريقه او تصميم لا تستغل قوه الهواء المضغوط بالدرجه القصوي لاني اري استغلالا لفكره استخدام الهواء المضغوط بطريقه ما يتيح استفاده اقصي من تشغيل سياره صغيره
Looks like this is all nothing but hot air. Though Tata Motors have this on their own website at the link below, there has been absolutely no talk about it on any of the news channels / discovery / auto expo’s / etc. I’m wondering if it will take any shape before I turn 80! (40+ years to go)
The Tata Motors link is below:
http://www.tatamotors.com/our_world/press_releases.php?ID=281&action=Pull
Where can i purchase one of these air cars? (minicat)
It very happy to hear, the new green revolution going to start with the efforts of Mdi and TATA motors,
Good job Tata keep it up we have always dreamt of such things but you have done it. You have brought smiles to the whole world but tough time for the petroleum companies.
I would like to see the type of air car you have produced and am willing to purchase one as a sample for a reasonable rate, plus shippping of course.
How do I go about doing this?
Viqui Gayer
Oh i thought it to be a nano !!
But thanks for sharing the great info.
a France air car company (MID) already manufacture lot of air cars , but even they told the car will reach in next 2 years, they research in this field for more then 14 years, if this is the case how tata will introduce it newly and early . but we all want to hands of to tata for this kind of project in India.
the design is nice and looking space inside ..
I am eagerly waiting for the “AIR CAR”
I admire Mr. Ratan because, he is a man with visions. He thinks about poor people and also thinks about country, world and environment while, most of the businessmen don’t do this because of their greed.
He is really a MAN & Human.
I wish him every success in his all visionary approach.
I also want to make booking. Kindly advise.
This is extremely interesting!!!
I wonder what happened to this project further? Was it launched in 2008?
Has anyone evaluated taking the technology of the air motor and compressed air tanks and combine with a windmill and a air compressor and placing on a roof and in attic, thus powering a home ?
Sounds like a world saver to me
Jesus Wolf
go ahead and rock the world with power of tata………………………………………
greate work man…
Tata Motors is taking giant strides and making history for itself. First the Landrover-Jaguar deal, then the world’s cheapest car and now it is also set to introduce the car that runs on air, compressed air to be specific.
We are expecting realese of air car very soon
Interesting….I heard of Tata’s working on water driven cars as well. This would be a wonder and a dream come true for most of the car drivers and aspirants !
Best Regards,
-http://www.suvblogger.com
this is the power of TATA.
America should offer land and buildings to bring that business to America and put Americans to work.
The oil they should be using is Hemp Oil. America should permit us to farm Hemp. As it is, we buy Hemp from Canada and process it here in American into products. We need that muti-billion business here in America, we need those jobs and related equipment. Hemp oil is bring used as I write.
Americans should be investing in America Car builders that are made here. I say DON’T invest till those cars start up here in American.
Where is Ford, Chev., Dodge, and ……….? Are they still belive Americans buy America….The 20’s, 30’s. 40’s 50’s ARE OVER. IF THEY DON’T KNOW THAT IT IS ABOUT OIL, FUEL, CLEAN AIR, AND PRICE. PLUS DAMN GOOD PRODUCTS. If they DO NOT move on this type cars FAST THEY AND WE WILL LOSE. they better jump layoff ALL employees….and burn their biuldings down. WE HAVE DONE IT TO OURSELF ONCE AGAIN.
If we are smart we should be gearing up for this tpye of transportion. If we jump on it, there will be a lot of after-market products, better designs, new assembly equipment to be designed and made. Americans, Cars started here in American, we need to take it back. American once again we should be the ones to show how it;s done.
Nice this looks like a awsome invention.
Where is it?
Where is the e.Volution air car that MDI announced in 2000 and said would be in production in 2001. Where is the CityCat that MDI announced in 2003 with production to start in 2004. Where is the OneCat air car that MDI announced and said would be in production by late 2008. Where is the AirPod that MDI announced in 2008 and said would be in production in 2009.
Has anyone noticed that MDI never lets any independent journalists ever do a road test on their cars, even though they say they are within a few months of going into production.
The only road test published by MDI showed their CityCat car running out of air after less than 8km/5 miles.
Why should we believe any claims by MDI?
The really looks cool! i hope Tata Motors
creates it before the next auto show and surprises the world again after the Tata Nano. Tata Motors is the most promising car of the world.
Rahul
Indian Car Advisor (Carazoo.com)
Tata Motors is revolutionising the auto sector with its technical expertise. It has already succeeded in producing world’s cheapest car Tata Nano. This air-powered vehicle will be a real wonder car if the company materialise the project.
Rahul
Indian Car Advisor (Carazoo.com)
We all are waiting for this Mini Cat to be launch? Kudos to Tata Motorsfor this innovative idea. This is a good cause towards saving the enviroment.
Mr. Ratan Tata
Jai Ho
for your minicat to become a great sucess
RATAN TATA has lots o innovative ideas makin him best in automobile industry in india.. he owns the market of commercial vehicles in india.. tata nano is one f the most apreciative idea of tata..