Tata, ISRO to build hydrogen vehicle

Auto major Tata Motors is joining hands with space agency ISRO to bring out environment-friendly, hydrogen-driven automobiles.

The two will be using the newly-tested cryogenic engine technology, said a report quoting ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair. According to the ISRO chief, an immediate application of the space agency?s cryogenic technology is in automobiles.

In fact, ISRO is working with the Tatas to see how best a proto model can be put on road by 2008. Taking the first step, the two entities have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for joint development of the clean auto technology in 2006. According to the report, ISRO expects that a pilot vehicle will be tried out in 2008.

Giving technical details, the report added that the technology to handle liquid hydrogen is a byproduct of the spin-off of the indigenous cryogenic upper stage project, which ISRO demonstrated earlier in November 2007. The space agency believes that Tatas can make good use of hydrogen at making cars. Calling it the fuel for the next generation, ISRO says that if hydrogen proves effective India will have a transport system that runs on hydrogen and even cars to an extent can switch over.

It has been reported that there is a possibility is that a hydrogen bus would be tried out first and then a car. Forty kg of hydrogen loaded on a bus could run up to 300 km, the report added.

The Tata hydrogen vehicle has been in the making for quite some time now. When the product rolls out of its assembly line, the company would see itself among global giants such as BMW, Daimler, Volkswagen, Ford and General Motors, Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan and Hyundai. Another major is the India Reva electric car makers, the Mainis, the report added.

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