Ta Ta Aircar Debut in India

My thought: I saw news of this in 2005, so I'm not so jazzed to read 'keep an eye out for Airpod in your city in the coming years'.  The design looks very different from earlier and far less stable than I had hoped - not that the Smart Car is anything I'd want to drive on an interstate hwy. At this point, why not just get a Merlin Corbin?

http://www.gizmocrazed.com/2012/08/this-tiny-car-runs-on-air/

This Tiny Car Runs On Air!

Posted by Nick

Electric cars have been the main source of hope in the alternative car market and have become largely accepted worldwide by many major motor companies, but Tata Motors (an Indian car manufacturer) is changing things up with the first car to run on air, the Airpod.

The Airpod’s technology was originally created in France at Motor Development International but has since been bought buy Tata in hopes to bring it to the Indian consumer car market. With virtually zero emissions and at the cost of about a penny per kilometer, it is definitely one of the most environmentally and economically friendly vehicles in the world. The tank holds about 175 liters of compressed air that can be filled at special stations or by activating the on-board electric motor to suck air in from the outside. Costing about $10,000, this car could beat out most smart cars from the market.

The design is still being worked on, as well as inputting more traditional steering tools as it currently uses a joystick to control the rear differential, but this car certainly has a lot of potential for getting around the city. It may start in India but could spread like wildfire from there so keep an eye out for Airpod in your city in the coming years.