Who would build it?
Well, finally, CNN decided that the air car might generate some interest by
writing about it. The comparison with the Prius is stirring up some questions
but the air car will beat it out.
The air car is still coming to America in 2010 and have produced a plan on how
production would be handled below.
• Production would be similar to a franchise business
• The cars would be manufactured by privately owned plants that could produce
at least 4,000 vehicles a year
• The cost of a license to build the car in an “exclusive geographical area”
in the United States is about $460,000
• Geographical areas are defined by 110,000 new vehicle registrations. For
example, Georgia could have four plants at most, but there could be 15 in
California
• The cost of a plant is $20 million
• The first plant is scheduled to be built in New York in 2010
Source: Shiva Vencat, vice president of MDI and CEO of Zero Pollution Motors
The car has still not made it to the streets in India but TaTa Motors says
the project is still alive and well.
Geez, why does it take so long to get this on the streets anywhere? This car
will give all the hybrids a run for their money along with cutting the need
further for gasoline.
Tags: air car, car, cars, ceo, cnn, coming to america, doe, franchise business, gasoline, generators, geographical area, hybrids, india, mdi, money, plants, pollutants, pollution, prius, s, tata motors, united states, vehicle registrations, vice president
August 9th, 2008 at 9:11 am
Wonderful News !
Sad that the orange link only takes me to a page thats selling existing cars…
I seemed to have found it with a Google search for “air car”…
Is this it?
http://www.theaircar.com/
Alexander M Zoltais last blog post..Language That Deceives
August 9th, 2008 at 9:13 am
Hmmm…
My reply posted but the link I found isn’t visible…
Weird but clicking on the empty space still goes to the site.
Alexander M Zoltais last blog post..Language That Deceives
August 9th, 2008 at 9:49 am
O.K.
Your fix worked.
Dream come true or marketing fantasy?
I hoping for dream come true !
Alexander M Zoltais last blog post..Language That Deceives
August 9th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Hi Alex … sorry for the confusion and thank you very much for catching it!
It is a dream come true! I just want them to get off the dime and roll them out to the consumers!
Lindas last blog post..Who would build it?
August 9th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Hi Linda,
WoW, nice and informative post…
Well, I think New York City has already standby for the plant and just hope everything will going well..
Wilson.
Wilsons last blog post..Enlarged Prostate
August 9th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
The compressed air car will certainly be able to pass emissions regulations so that’s not a problem…
The biggest problem I think would be crash safety standards. Remember that cars which meet today’s crash safety standards have to be built pretty heavily– Even sedans can weigh in at 2000+ pounds.
The air car as it is built in India DO NOT MEET U.S. CRASH SAFETY STANDARDS. Once you add all the safety equipment, that air car is going to be a lot heavier that it was originally, and it is not going to give you as many miles on a single charge of compressed air.
Also, cold weather will affect air volume, which means the mileage will really suck in the winter.
August 9th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Hi Wilson … That is good news! Hopefully, they will get the go ahead soon.
Hi Quincy … You have some good points. However, two examples of small like cars that have apparently passed the crash safety standards are the Volkswagon Beetle and the mini-Cooper. They certainly cannot hold up to being run over by a semi but it is a chance you take!
Don’t know about the cold weather but we already take a hit with gas vehicles in the hot weather. i.e. evaporation.
Don’t believe we will have a perfect car right out of the chute but it is a start!
Lindas last blog post..Who would build it?
August 9th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
No one cares, because VW has a 1L diesel that gets 230!!!!! MPG. And they HAVE built it, and WILL build more. And as for safety standards, I’d take a German built car over a POS american one any day.
August 9th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I think I saw something about this car on the news here in Australia a while back! The technology is out there for all sorts of alternatives … they just have to darn well get on with it!
Leanne Lonergans last blog post..Feeling S.A.D!
August 9th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
And you forgot one more car Linda, the MERCEDES Smart. Yes, MERCEDES builds them. Just like they build the SPRINTER VANS that are superior in every way. NOT dodge.
August 9th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Hi Fleet Admiral … What? You don’t like the ford POS? Don’t hold back, tell us how you really feel!
I am kinda partial to my Nissan Titan.
Hi Leanne … Yeah, Angelo is really pissing me off. His motor will out do these guys from France but evidently he has other plans cause his engine is very unique, higher torgue, and weighs 28 lbs but he is not getting it out to the World.
Hi Fleet Admiral … Well, gee, you forgot trash the Chevy! Come on, step up to the plate!
Lindas last blog post..Who would build it?
August 11th, 2008 at 10:21 am
I have never seen anything on an air car in AMerica. I hate to say it, but they need a lobbyist.
August 11th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Hi Threio … It is coming but from France. No lobbyist needed, just the plant in New York to start, getting them built and into American hands.
August 13th, 2008 at 7:23 am
Well this is really an exciting development. I hope whoever contracts to manufacture the cars will be able to produce one of the best and most important thing is to bring down the cost of production so that people like us can afford it.
green blogs last blog post..Solar Powered Bluetooth Headset
August 13th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Hi Green Blog … There has been a company selected and they plan on selling the car for $18,000. They are supposed to be making it available in 2010!