Tata to bring Compressed Air Engine technology to India
Air Car Video
Tata and a US based company is developing a green engine that would require only air to run. According the Environmental News Network (ENN), Zero Pollution Motors is developing a vehicle that can motor around all day on nothing but air and a splash of salad oil, alcohol or possibly a pint of gasoline. The science behind building the Compressed Air Vehicle, or CAV, is not new as off-the-shelf technology already uses compressed air to drive old-fashioned car engine pistons instead of combusting gas or diesel fuel to create a burst of air.
The air car can hit a top speed of 35 mph for some 60 miles or so, on a tank of compressed air, a sufficient distance for 80 per cent of consumers to commute to work and back and complete daily chores. On highways, the CAV can cruise at interstate speeds for nearly 800 miles with a small motor that compresses outside air to keep the tank filled.Even if it used only regular gasoline, the air car would average 106 mpg, more than double today’s fuel economy champ, the Toyota Prius. The air tank also can be refilled when it’s not in use by being plugged into a wall socket and recharged with electricity as the motor compresses air.
The vehicles will be built in the US with a capacity of 8,000 vehicles a year, likely starting in 2011, and be sold directly to consumers.
Tata plans to charge 15 million dollars for the rights to the technology, a fully built turnkey auto assembly plant, tools, machinery, training and rights to use trademarks. In fact, Tata has already reserved the rights to bring these cars to the Indian market. All Tata needs is a green signal from the Indian government to proceed and conduct feasibility studies to consider the consumer choices.
Source: Indian Express