Miscellaneous Car News

is this true ?

This would be amazing if it ever comes out, but I rather think that is unlikely. More probable that the oil companies will get their hands on it, like they do everything else, and shove the whole thing in the pending basket. Pommieland had working electric cars over 45 years ago, but they never saw the light of day as far as marketing them was concerned because the oil giants bought up the patents and shelved them.
Air Powered Car
Tata Motors is ready to introduce Air Car - Will it be the next big thing? Tata Motors is taking giant strides and making history for itself.

First the Land Rover/Jaguar deal, then the world's cheapest car, and now it is also set to introduce the car that runs on compressed air.

With spiralling fuel prices 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 Ngre 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 by August 2011.
The Air Car, called the "MiniCAT" could cost around Rs. 3,475,225 ($8,177.00) in India and would have a range of around 300 km between refuels.

The cost of a refill would be about Rs. 85 ($2.00)
The MiniCAT which is a simple, light urban car, with a tubular chassis that is glued, not welded, and a body of fibreglass 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 100 Km (about a tenth that of a petrol car).

It's 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 80% of motorists drive at less than 60 Km.

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 kilometres.

As a viable alternative, the car carries a small compressor which can be connected to the mains (220V or 380V) and refill the tank in 3-4 hours.

Due to the absence of combustion and, consequently, of residues, changing the oil (1 litre of vegetable oil) is necessary only every 50,000 Km).

The temperature of the clean air expelled by the exhaust pipe is between 0-15 degrees below zero, which makes it suitable for use by the internal air conditioning system with no need for gases or loss of power.

 

Don't really fancy the idea of driving around with a 300bar bomb on board! - I wonder if the tank sprung a leak would it rush around like a deflating balloon?

The overall efficiency of these schemes is very low - since the air has to be compressed by something that back down the chain probably burns fossil fuel - especially in 3rd world countries, which what they are usually aimed at.

I'll wait for the videos of Indian roadside mechanics fixing these....

 

that's what I was thinking but then think about what you are currently using !!

the explosion power from 100+ litres of fuel should be enough to turn you off using the car

 

Or, in the case of India and/or China - Nuclear power - clean and green!

 

Do you want a steel GTS to try as well ????

 

So, have you ordered the K1000 or the P1000?

Or, will you wait for the compressed air model

 

It's too slow for me, so I'll bring it on a truck.

 

We should do it as an exercise. All cars to be full of fuel to ensure that variable is removed.

 

cars to look out for this year .....


http://au.news.yahoo.com/technology/mobile-technology/galleries/g/-/8642121/1/new-cars-to-watch-for-in-2011/

 

OK, we'll organise a date with RB on the Carbi run.

 

for the corner weight scales?

 

Yep, I reckon it'd be fun. Has always been a lot of talk about weights and horsepower etc on glass cars vs steel cars and Aussie cars vs UK cars etc etc. Would be good to put 2 recently restored cars on scales, PP's being glass and mine a pommy steel car. I think I'm carrying more oil though being a dry sump.

 

i will get them of my old mechanic,good excuse to get them back,there digital longacre ones cost me about 3,500.
I can weigh the jag as well,we could also do the 328.
my garage is flat and plenty of room its a date.

 

Excellent. Look forward to it. Leave the key to the cellar door as well. I might polish off a few bottles of your good red wine. When you cook my steak, I like it medium rare and I also like asparagus served on the side.

 

Very squeaky brakes.

 

To me that's part of the character in a car. Noises is what it's all about.

 

Thanks, PP. Enjoyed that!