Kwa muda mrefu maEngineer wa magari wamekuwa wakikuna vichwa ni namna gani wanaweza tengeneza gari isiyotumia mafuta lakini wakashindwa.  Lakini kwa sasa hii itakuwa habari njema kwao kwani gari inayotumia mfumo wa hewa ipo njiani kuingia sokoni kufuatia makubaliano yaliyotiwa saini na kampuni kubwa ya magari ya Tata ya nchini India.

Magari hayo ambayo yamepewa jina la MiniC.A.T yameindwa kwa mfumo rahisi huku bodi yake ikiwa imeshikanishwa na Gundi badala ya kuchomelewa kwa vyuma. Pia imeundwa na mifumo ya kielectroniki ili kurahisisha huduma za mawasiliano kwa njia ya compyuta. Ili uendeshe gari hiyo huitaji kuwa na funguo nyingi bali ni kadi yako tu ambayo kila gari huwa na kadi yake maalum.

Sifa kuu ya gari hiyo ni pamoja na  uwezo wake mkubwa wa kutumia  mafuta kidogokwa umbali mrefu. Inakadiriwa gari hiyo inauwezo wa kutembea kilomita 100 kwa lita mbili huku ikiwa inauwezo wa juu kukimbia mwendokasi wa 68mph.

Wabunifu wa gari hiyo wamebainisha kuwa, gari hilo ni rafiki wa mazingira kwani haitoi gesi  moshi inayochafua  mazingira.

Watu wengi nchini India wameanza kuitumia gari hiyo katika safari ndogo ndogo hasa za katikati ya miji mikubwa.

AIR CAR TO BE BULT SOON.

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 Mini C.A.T is a simple, light urban car, with a tubular chassis that is glued not welded and a body of fiberglass. 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, 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.

How does it work?

90m3 of compressed air is stored in fibre tanks. The expansion of this air pushes the pistons and creates movement. The atmospheric temperature is used to re-heat the engine and increase the road coverage. The air conditioning system makes use of the expelled cold air. Due to the absence of combustion and the fact there is no pollution, the oil change is only necessary every 31.000 miles.

At the moment, four models have been made: a car, a taxi (5 passengers), a Pick-Up truck and a van. The final selling price will be approximately 5.500 pounds.