After Nano, TATAs are aiming high by collaborating with MDI to manufacture AIR POWERED cars. Yes you heard it right. The engines of this new model will be powered by compressed air. According to this press release by TATA Motors. They are getting into an agreement with MDI to refine the technology and license it to use in India. So air powered car is not very far away. From the press release

The MDI Group is headed by Mr. Guy Negre, who founded the company in the 1990s in pursuit of his dream to pioneer an engine using just compressed air as fuel – which may be the ultimate environment-friendly engine yet. Besides, the engine is efficient, cost-effective, scalable, and capable of other applications like power generation.

One of the product of MDI is Minicat. Its a small car with looks of Reva  But it is as big as Nano with three passenger seats and boot for luggage. Some more details of it taken from MDI.

With the MiniCATs, all pollution is completely eliminated in urban areas by using the 100% Compressed Air operating mode.

- The car has a built-in on-board system that can be simply plugging into a mains power outlet to refill the tanks with compressed air. The moto-alternator reverses the process which compresses the air and fills up the tanks. The compressed air reserves are thus refilled by using the national power grid. Refilling time for the MiniCATs is about five and a half hours using a 230V outlet. This is the most important advantage of the MDI Technology.
- Compressed Air Storage System is simple and MDI is planning to install a network of such “Filling Stations” where vehicles can be refilled, in three minutes, by connecting the Car Tanks to the outlet from the Storage System.

Looks like TATAs have great ambition of providing cheap and environmental friendly vehicles. I am not sure how their rivals will react. But for sure I will be happy to buy one.