Tata Air Car to drive in by 2011

Come 2010-11 and Tata Motors would bring in a revolutionary motor vehicle to India’s roads.

To be made by French company MDI, the Air Car  would be launched by Tata Motors in India. The cars, powered by compressed air, will debut first in France. The car  is likely to sport a price tag in the range of Rs 2.33 lakh to Rs 8.69 lakh, depending on the difference in the models. We lknow that is a pretty wide range, but no further information is available right now. Tata Motors themselves, we think, have not proceeded much in finalising the specifications for the car.

The car would run on compressed air that pushes the pistons instead of fuel combustion. Tata Motors has said that a range of 300 km between the two fill-ups which may cost around Rs 80-90 in India. The compressed air car will return a top speed of 65 mph, it added. Meanwhile, it is being said that the French company has also developed an alternative means to power the car. This would be akin to be hybrid, which uses a  combination of air and petrol, diesel or ethanol. Zero emissions make it a good buy.

According to sources Tata Motors has already inked a licensing pact with MDI for manufacturing the car in India. As per the deal, development and refinement of the technology would be undertaken at the Tata stables. However, it is not clear on whether Tata Motors has finalised a timeframe for deployment of the technology of engines powered by compressed air. According to the agreement signed between the company and MDI, Tata Motors will be licensed to deploy the technology only in India.

It has been reported that French major MDI has developed a few models of the Air Car. The various models will accommodate two to six passengers. Air compressing devices that can be used at home can be used to refuel the car.

While the Tatas wil bring the car to India, MDI would deliver the first cars for the Air France before June 2009.