Quoted: The compressed air engine is similar, in many ways, to the steam engine that once was used to drive locomotives and early automobiles, except of course that it uses air, rather than steam. The engine is much simpler than a gasoline engine, because there is no combustion. The engine has an air intake and exhaust, a piston inside a cylinder and a crankshaft that turns.

Quoted: ZPM's parent company, Motor Development International, is a 15-year-old French-based business headed by Air Car inventor Guy Negre. A former aeronautics and Formula One racecar engineer, Negre worked with his son, Cyril, an engineer with Bugatti, and about 30 other engineers to bring the compressed air technology to market. To date, the company holds patents in over 120 countries for their Air Car vehicles. "The air car was born out of Guy's passion for building energy efficient engines for automobiles and airplanes," Haydon says.

Officials from MDI, France told ET: “We’ve decided to launch OneCATs -the first version of cars with engines that will run on compressed air - in countries other than India by end 2008. The car will also be launched at the New York Auto Show starting from March 21, 2008. In France, the car will be produced in small units. For India, Tata Motors will adopt the technology for its cars.”

Quoted: An upstate New York company will start manufacturing the first air-powered car in the United States, for less than $18,000.

Quoted: Tata Motors Ltd has confirmed that it is collaborating to develop an air-powered car with French inventors, a newspaper reported. Run-up to Budget 2008-09

Tata Motors Managing Director Ravi Kant told the Financial Times newspaper that his group last year signed an agreement with MDI, a private French company developing cars driven by compressed air.

Quoted: An engineer working with Indian firm Tata says he plans to sell an emission-free car that runs on compressed air.

Quoted: The leading magazine for eco living, offering a fun, irreverent look at today's environmental news and issues.

Quoted: A car that runs on air? What seemed like a pipe dream may soon become reality as Frenchman Guy Negre hopes versions of his compressed air car will be produced in India this year by Tata Motors Ltd after a 15 year quest for backers for his invention. Tata group to launch world’s cheapest car.