To coincide with the launch of India’s cheapest car, the much awaited Rs.1-lakh car in 2008, Tata Motors is also planning to roll out a car which would be fired by compressed air, presently the cheapest auto fuel in the world.
The cars to be launched would be in the B-segment and probably be a variant of Europe’s MiniCAT. The running costs shall be around 50 paisa per kilometer making it cheapest on-road fuel, lower than even CNG.
Inspite of being the first air-powered vehicle in India, the Tata cars could even run upto 220 km/hour. Currently such cars run in Great Britain, Belgium, Portugal, Spain and US.
The expected launch could boost Tata Motors as it could fill the gap for those people who find running a car too expensive. It may also get certain tax concessions as it is pollution free and save valuable natural resource.
But Tata Motors would have to consider about the availability of compressed air fuel, and would then have to plan the launch on a larger scale. Otherwise absence of refilling options may hamper the demand of such vehicles. via
Find this article at: http://www.labnol.org/india/corporate/finding-expensive-to-run-a-car-a-low-cost-option-from-tata-motors/1156/

Reader Comments
And how is the compressed air generated? That’s to say, ultimately what source of power runs this car? Hydro-electricity? Wind power? Solar power? Natural gas? Oil? Coal?
Written by Alex Beamish on 08.17.07
If they run by compressed air fuel, I guess they have option of carbon trading………what u say?
Written by Chamatkaribaba on 08.17.07
If small cars are faboulus ,the dream GDP double digit & sustaining manufcturing double digit figure ,the agri nanotecknolgy double digit from 2010
Written by Chanveer S Angadi on 09.15.07