The MiniC.A.T Compressed Air Car: Where Did It Go?
In 2007, Indian automotive giant Tata Motors announced a partnership which could lead to the commercial production of Europe’s first compressed air car. Three years later, the 
idea has seemingly fallen off the radar. The MiniC.A.T sounds like a great idea, so where has it gone? Was it really just too good to be true?
The Specs & Numbers
The MiniC.A.T is a lightweight, zero-emissions, fiberglass vehicle that is fueled by compressed air and a 1 liter tank of vegetable oil. With one charge, the MiniC.A.T keeps drivers going for 10 hours or for 200-300 kilometers – numbers that are nearly double those of electric-powered cars.
While a gas car needs an oil change after 5,000 miles, the MiniC.A.T keeps going for 50,000 kilometers until it needs a new tank of vegetable oil. Recharging the car with compressed air would take between 2-3 minutes and cost approximately 1.5 Euros. If fueling stations are unavailable, the MiniC.A.T will come with an attached compressor that refills the tank within 4 hours.
The Bottom Line
The MiniC.A.T is a breakthrough vehicle with the potential to revolutionize the auto industry. Unlike with many other environmentally friendly driving options, you won’t need to sacrifice luxury while on the road since the MiniC.A.T includes options for a fully loaded package including Internet, GPS, emergency systems, and more.
In the United Kingdom, the MiniC.A.T will retail for 5,500 pounds ($8,294). It is expected that the factory will produce approximately 3,000 each year. Prototypes for a car, taxi, truck, and van have already been tested.
Bloomberg Businessweek featured this story three years ago in 2007. I wonder what developments have been made, when and if this car will reach consumers, and whether similar technology will reach the United States.
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Comment from Kaz
Let me know…… I was wondering the same thing?? It’s suppose to have been available to the U.S. this year 2010.
Comment from jozer
The compressed air vehicle could work as a plug in electric hybrid. The way it could work would be that an electrically powered 4 stage piston air compressor would run while charging. There would be intercooling between each stage with the heat of compression being stored in an insulated tank filled with paraffin or a eutectic salt solution. When the vehicle is running the compressor would become a 4 stage expansion engine. The stored heat would reheat the expanding air restoring most of the original energy.
Now comes the good part, the waste heat from a small gasoline engine can increase the reheating of the compressed air increasing its power and extending its range. An air piston engine would not need a transmission and it would be great for regenerative braking. The power from the gas engine can turn the compressor motor into an alternator.
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