Tata MiniCat Air Powered Car – The Next Big Thing?


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TATA- AIR POWERED CAR IN INDIA

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 N'gre 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.. 3,47,523/- ($8,177.00) in India and would have a range of around 300 km between refuels.

The cost of a refillwould 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.
 
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Re: Tata- air powered car in india

Its already aug 2011!

i hope i remember reading this news very long back in od magazine.
its with a collaboration of some french institute.
 
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Re: Tata- air powered car in india

wow thats some car. hope its going to come in india. there was no much news of its imminent launch.
 
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Re: Tata - Air Powered Car in India

hey buddy amazing info but pics are not coming. plz post them again!!
 
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Re: Tata - Air Powered Car in India

Here are some disadvantages of Air compressed cars External Link

I think hydrogen based petrol should be the one to look onto at the times. Anyway great wishes to TATA the Great.
 
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MDI's air engine technology tested on Tata Motors vehicles

Tata Motors said it has successfully completed the first phase to produce and sell compressed air cars using MDI technology in India.

In January, 2007, Tata Motors and MDI of Luxumbourg had signed a licence agreement that enables Tata Motors to produce and sell compressed air cars using MDI technology in India.

The agreement, signed in 2007, covered two phases of activity encompassing the technology transfer and proof of the technical concept in the first phase, and in the second phase completing detailed development of the compressed air engine into specific vehicle and stationary applications.

"The first phase of this programme-proof of the technical concept in Tata Motors vehicles-has now been successfully completed with the compressed air engine concept having been demonstrated in two Tata Motors vehicles," a company release said here.

In the second phase of the development, the two companies are working together to complete detailed development of the technology and required technical processes to industrialise a market ready product application over the coming years, the release said.

Source:ET
 

350Z

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Re: MDI's air engine technology tested on Tata Motors vehicles

Note: Threads Merged.

Drive Safe,
350Z
 
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Tata Motors to introduce Air Car - Is it the next big thing?


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.

minicat-01.jpg

With spiralling 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 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 by August 2011.

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).

minicat-02.jpg

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.

minicat-03.jpg

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 liter of vegetable oil is necessary only every 50,000 Km.
 
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Re: Tata Motors to introduce Air Car - Is it the next big thing?

I think that this product is still some good 2 year's away,according to the recent reports(which can be found elsewhere in this forum)Tata motor's has just finished the first round of testing on this product, which literally means to make it production ready you are still looking at some 24-36 months of time.
 
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Re: Tata MiniCat Air Powered Car – The Next Big Thing?

Some where read that the oil companies and some nethas may not allow this car since it might be a great loss for them.
These rotten heads should be crushed under a truck, but I am sure alternate tech will surely come in and Tatas are not small player, they can buy out entire junkyard of Delhi (read parliament).
 
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Tata AirPod: India's tiny air-powered car

Tata hopes to bring a car powered by compressed air — an idea that's been contemplated for years but has proved difficult to build commercially — to market. Built on technology licensed from Luxembourg's MDI, the AirPod is a light, apparently one-seated car that's supposed to be able to run at between 45 and 70 kilometers an hour (28 to 43 miles per hour). Instead of running on gas or electricity, however, the engine is powered by a tank of compressed air, which can either be pumped in through a charging station or taken in while driving with the help of an electric engine. The car can also recapture some energy during braking, similar to current hybrid vehicles. The concept still seems a bit shaky, but it could offer cheaper and more environmentally friendly recharging without waiting for something like IBM's lithium-air battery.

The Tata AirPod: India's tiny air-powered prototype car | The Verge

Nano's Sister.?
 

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Re: Tata AirPod: India's tiny air-powered car

Is this a production version or concept ? Any idea when they are planning to launch ?
 
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