But, today, came across a newsitem that was precisely on this idea. A breakthrough they claim. And, what more, this idea is there for many years, it seems.
Tata Motors is 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.Do you think it is good ? Now, the world food crisis is blamed on the invention of bio-fuels. Next is going to be the world air crisis ?
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.
1 comment:
Hi,
Yes I heard of this car. And I think it is a good idea!
The important principle here is that the working component is electricity and not air. Electricity is used to compress the air, and then it expands in your car to move it forward, without really undergoing any change. So we wont really be competing with the car, as it wont 'consume' air.
The advantage of this over an electric car is that the storage of electricity (in our lead acid batteries) is not very efficient or clean, and so air is a better option.
So till "air bunks" develop you will get a power cord with it, which you plug in to let an electric motor compress air. For hot countries like India it is also possible to have solar panels on the roof that continually compress air.
There is another possible advantage of this car - global cooling! During the expansion of air the temperature has to fall. So all cars on the road will keep the temperature down during the day. It will generate heat when charging though, but maybe that can be used to constructively in the house somehow.
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