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A piston engine is behind this vehicle powered by air. Not just any air, however, for the 350 kg OneCAT will only run with an ample amount of compressed air. Getting in refills of the compressed air costs about £1 and the car is back on the road for another good 200 to 300 kilometers, according to the company. When the driver steps up to accelerate, a very minimal amount of regular gas is used by the vehicle. Tata Motor’s latest car, however, promises zero emission of any sort while at a low speed. Such futuristic car technology was the result of the partnership between Tata Motors and France’s Moteur Development International (MDI) for the last 10 years.

“The engine is efficient, cost-effective, scalable, and capable of other applications like power generation,” a spokesman of MDI said.

With such powertrain, the OneCAT is capable to muster 100 km with 60-horsepower. Moreover, a tank full of compressed air allows the car to operate for 10 hours with a ceiling speed of 70 miles per hour. This car is so green that even the engine’s emission is used as a cabin air conditioner. As part of the OneCAT’s maintenance, oil has to be change after accumulating 30, 000 miles and up to continuously enjoy a fully operating vehicle.

The unique engine technology of OneCAT may seem all that but the car will still have to pass the scrutiny of analysts on total environment impact and practicality. Moreover, the far-fetch figures given by the maker of this ‘air car’ will surely keep automobile industry glued on its progress.

“What counts is how much energy all the processes involved require - from manufacturing the car to compressing the air,” said Vivek Chattopadhyaya of Center for Science and Environment, which is based in New Delhi.

Nonetheless, Tata and MDI are confident that OneCAT, which can accommodate three adult passengers, is competent enough to go against potential green car rivals and energy efficient autos such as the hybrid, bio-fuels, and electric vehicles. The ‘air car’ is targeted for release this year with a base price of around £2,500.

Source: Times Online.