Concept car that Runs on AIR

Submitted by hrishi on Mon, 03/24/2008 - 01:34.

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OneCAT is the upcoming compressed air car. Tata Motors is working on it in collaboration with Air engine developer and ex-Formula one engineer Guy Nègre of the MDI. The car runs on compressed air and produces no emissions at all.

It has airtanks that can be filled in 4 hours by plugging the car into a standard electrical plug. MDI plans to also design a gas station compressor, which would fill the tanks in 3 minutes. There are no gasoline costs and no fossil fuel emissions.

The OneCAT will be a five-seater with a glass fibre body,weighing just 350kg and could cost just over £2,500.It will be driven by compressed air stored in carbon-fibre tanks built into the chassis.With full tanks it will run at 100 km/h for 90km range in urban cycle. It is actually a dual fuel car but it is more efficient than any present Hybrid cars.

Mr Negre says there's no issue with safety - if the air-car crashes the air tanks won't shatter ,they will split with a very loud bang. "The biggest risk is to the ears."

The issue of the source of the electricity is still to be solved, so I guess a completely "Green Car" is yet way off.