Tata-ISRO to launch world's cleanest automobile
The Times of India — November 23, 2007

India's largest automobile maker Tata Motors and space agency ISRO are likely to launch next year, the prototype of the world's cleanest vehicle that will run on hydrogen and leave behind nothing more than a trail of water vapour.

An agreement for the pilot project to see whether hydrogen can be used to fuel automobiles has been signed and the work started, said G Madhavan Nair, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation that builds satellites as also their launch vehicles.

"If we succeed, we can have bulk transportation system. Even cars to an extent can switch over to hydrogen fuel cell," said Nair, who is also Secretary in the Department of Space.

"We are working with Tatas to see how best proto model can be put on road by next year. Hydrogen-powered and the storage and handling etc, we will take care from whatever we know and the Tatas are good at making best cars," he said responding to questions from media on the sidelines of a conference here on Thursday.

The proposed vehicle, would use ISRO's rocket technology. It would not have any engine as it would be completely electric-driven. "Hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen will combine together in the fuel cell and electricity will be produced," he said.

"The vehicle would have hydrogen storage and regulatory and control systems, and be driven with the electricity generated from fuel cells. These vehicles would emit only water vapours," he said.