The Tata MiniC.A.T. Air Car

"Zero pollution and very low running costs"

Many respected engineers have been trying for years to bring a compressed air car to market, believing strongly that compressed air can power a viable "zero pollution" car. Now the first commercial compressed air car is on the verge of production and beginning to attract a lot of attention, and with a recently signed partnership with Tata, India’s largest automotive manufacturer, the prospects of very cost-effective mass production are now a distinct possibility. The MiniC.A.T is a simple, light urban car, with a tubular chassis that is glued not welded and a body of fibreglass. The heart of the electronic and communication system on the car is a computer offering an array of information reports that extends well beyond the speed of the vehicle, and is built to integrate with external systems and almost anything you could dream of, starting with voice recognition, internet connectivity, GSM telephone connectivity, a GPS guidance system, fleet management systems, emergency systems, and of course every form of digital entertainment. The engine is fascinating, as is and the revolutionary electrical system that uses just one cable and so is the vehicle’s wireless control system. 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.

Most importantly, it is incredibly cost-efficient to run – according to the designers, it costs less than one Euro per 100Km (about a tenth that of a petrol car). Its 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 the 80% of motorists drive at less than 60Km. The car has a top speed of 68 mph.

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 1.5 Euros (approx. US $2), 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.

http://www.gizmag.com/go/7000/

The Lotus Elise

Okay, the Lotus Elise isn't exactly a new car; in fact, it was announced back in 2000. And it's not particularly efficient either, with an EPA fuel economy of 24/29 (city/highway). Plus, it was built to be a race car. So what is it doing here?

First, let's take a closer look at the Elise. At its heart lies a four-cylinder Toyota 2ZZ-GE engine producing 190 hp @ 7600 rpm and 130 lb-ft of torque at 6800 rpm. It is the same engine used in several Toyota Corollas, Matrix (Matricies?), and Celicas, and propels the Elise from 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds. The mid-mounted engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels. But the Elise's trump card is its anemic weight of 1930 lbs, resulting in a power to weight ratio rivaling Ferraris and Lamborghinis. With less mass to scoot around corners, the Elise's handling is superb (lateral acceleration of 0.97 g).

The idea behind the Lotus Elise is very simple: the lower the weight, the less power you need to propel it. With cars gaining weight as fast as Americans are gaining weight, this principle can and should be applied to making fuel-efficient cars. What if, for example, someone replaced the Toyota engine with a less-powerful but more efficient engine? It'd probably run with Toyota Camry-performance, but use much less fuel. What if that someone forwent gasoline and put in an electric motor? Well, it'd look awfully similar to the Tesla Roadster.

Granted, the only incentive to pay more for a car with a spartan interior (minimal upholstering & carpeting, passenger seats are unadjustable, minimal sound dampening material) is for its incredible performance and handling characteristics. An Elise with 70 hp will probably appeal to an extremely small number of people. The Lotus Elise, though, is undeniably a weight-saving engineering masterpiece.

Read how the Elise works at HowStuffWorks

Tesla Motors

Tesla Motors recently unveiled its Tesla Roadster. All-electric, 0-60mph in about 4 seconds, and a 250 mile range. It was designed by the British car company Lotus, and the styling cues are evident when you look at a Lotus Elise. The great thing about electric motors is that they produce maximum torque (thus, maximum acceleration) at 0 rpm, meaning there is nearly no lag for the engine to spin up to its power band. This is my kind of car.