Tata Motors' air-powered car project still on, to be launch ready in 3 years

If everything goes as envisioned at Tata Motors, the first vehicle with the "radical" compressed air technology in India could be launched by 2020.

Tata Motors had signed a licence agreement with the France-based Motor Development International (MDI) in 2007 to produce and sell compressed air cars using MDI technology in India as well as further refine the technology.

The proof of concept in Tata vehicles were successfully completed, and the second stage of detailed development started a few years ago. "We are now at a point where we are starting industrialisation (of the project)," Dr. Tim Leverton, president and head -- Advanced and Product Engineering, Tata Motors told Autocar Professional.

The project is taking longer than expected. Its successful industrialisation will give a big shot in the arm for Tata Motors in its green mobility drive. It is learnt that in terms of running costs, a vehicle with compressed air technology is comparable to a CNG vehicle.  

Tata Motors is aggressively making moves at developing environment-friendly vehicles across passenger segments. Last month, the company revealed a raft of public transportation products – electric, hybrid, fuel cell and LNG – at its Pune plant, all of them showcasing the manufacturer’s focus on smart and green technology and new mobility solutions.