Indian Company to Manufacture World's Cheapest Car

Tata Motors unveiled the world’s cheapest car today — a 10-foot long, 5-foot wide pipsqueak it’s dubbed the Nano. Tata plans to initially sell the car in India’s burgeoning automobile market for just more than 100,000 rupees (about $2,500). Higher trim levels will presumably go for a bit more and include “features” such as a radio, sun visors and air conditioning (which might be a smart investment on a 110-degree summer day in India).

Don’t let the low sticker price excite you too much; the only Nano you’ll see in the U.S. will be of the zero-emissions iPod variety. The car called Nano is intended to dominate the market only in the developing world, where incomes are lower and automobile needs more basic. For instance, the Tata has a 33-hp, two-cylinder engine that tops out at 65 mph, and while the car passes safety tests in India, any compact SUV would likely shred it to pieces on American roads. There are no airbags to protect passengers, just seat belts.

The Nano may prove revolutionary for people in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa over the next four years, but environmentalists worry about a spike in pollution caused by mass adoption. 

The title for cheapest car stateside belongs to the Chevy Aveo, which can be had for just under $10,300 in a stripped-down Value version.

Tata's High-Stakes Bet on Low-Cost Car (Wall Street Journal)

Comments

[Amuro Ray]

Bravo for the idea and success of Tata (the same company that's going to make Land Rover, and possibly other luxury brands) on being the 1st to build the world's cheapest car...

Unfortunately, this also marks a sad day for the environment, and definitely more casualty due to traffic/car collisions...

(If you have NOT been to India, then you really don't have to worry 'bou fwy driving; most collisions will probably occur in city streets b/n pedestrians and cars, or cars and cars - it's crazy in India (urban traffic).

[Infosaur]

Nobody seems to want to answer this, but does this car use catalytic converters, fuel injection and other state of the art emission controls?

Greenies aside, I'm tired of the US being labeled as the worlds largest poluters when big countries like China, India and Russia are still using two-stroke engines with straight pipes!

[L.S.]

Those wheels look like they would fit a lawn mower better :)

[the original V. Lo]

reminds me of a prius in the front, mostly the headlights...how embarrasing...

[Troy in Ft Walton Beach]

Pick on this car as you will but, it's cheaper than a decent stateside motorcycle, provides better weather protection and can carry more than 2 people. Probably safer than a motorcycle too. Why don't we have options in this price range here in the US? Yeah, I'm sure the answer will be related to safety regulations and emissions. But really, why don't we have cars like this available to us?

[Ken L.]

We have better used cars that are safer, higher featured, more comfortable, etc., etc., etc. than this tin can on wheels. I bet most Americans would not even fit in this car, and just looking at it with those tiny wheels is enough to scare most people away. I'm not sure about some of you, but my life is worth more than $2,500 USD. I'm glad it's not coming here; the last thing you want to see is an advance society like the U.S., with streets and highways littered with people, driving cars that can be found on the majority of the roads in third world countries.

[Frank]

I heard they're coming out with a special edition called, "Coffin". I welcome this car in the states as I drive a Explorer.

"Was that a bug I just crushed?" "No, that was a Tata."

[the original V. Lo]

Troy,

UAW...thats why

[MP]

Some part of me says it's bad that there will be more pollution; the other part of me says "the hell with environmentalists" and hooray for giving these people mobility and more economic advantages by having a true "people's car."

[Aussie Boy]

i agree with Ken.L this is not the best car around, because there are some second hand cars around that better this in safety, performance and comfort, plus id like to see this go up a steep hill with 5 full sized adults inside, 33hp is just a little low.

[Mart]

Infosaur,

As I understand it, the car has a catalytic converter, and ECU and fuel injection. It also meets Euro III and IV emissions controls so relatively speaking it's not very polluting.

Obviously, it has no airbags so I shudder to think what other safety issues they've forgotten about in addition...

[LM]

Have you been to a third-world country where people ride around in rickshaws that operate with lawnmower engines? This is a major step up, but also significant when you think of peak oil, gas prices, and CO2 emissions. This vehicle will do nothing but take people off of buses, trains and bicycles, all far more efficient than any personal motor vehicle. In China, the millions of people who bike are seen as a nuisance, while in America we strive to get people to bike.

The US cannot, however, complain about other countries and their relative CO2 emissions if we are completely incapable of doing anything about it ourselves. We just can't even talk about it until we put out.

[Troy in Ft Walton Beach]

Ken L, Aussie and Frank,

Yes, the car is cartoonish small but, it'd still be safer and carry more people/cargo than a motorcycle wouldn't it? There are lot's of cycles out there on our roads that can't compete with even the smallest of our cars when it comes to safety and cargo capacity. Most of them are way over 2500 and some even get worse fuel economy.

Like it or not but, it's a great idea for intown basic transportation. Buying a used car these days is more or less buying someone elses problems. At least with this little car, it would be new with warrenty.

[Steve]

LM,
The USA is not even in the top 10.

In order, the top polluting (CO2) countries per capita are: Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, India, Guam, China, Russia, Bahrain, Singapore, Luxembourg, Brunei, Australia, United States.

This is from the Strategic Environmental Assessment Group (SEAG) which is funded by the United Nations. Many in the scientific community say the SEAG is the only true non-political, non-influenced environmental group. Sadly, majority of the others have been corrupted.

We still don't know if we are causing Global Warming, or if it's a natural warming cycle as there is overwhelming evidence to support that. However, I've never met an American who does not want cleaner air, water, etc.

Often when it comes to the environment the facts are rarely known.

I would rather drive a 1982 Sentra than the Tata.

[Amuro Ray]

Steve, there are 3 major issues 'bou your comments, which have been studied extensively by all science majors students in universities - which I was one...

(1) as you pointed out, the US is NOT in the top 10, but that's PER CAPITA. Other than India, China & Russia - US is actually a major polluter because we have a major population here. To make this simple for most to understand - say in UAE each person has $10, but there are only 100 people there. In US, each person has $1, but we have 10000 here. Thus, total $ in UAE is only $1000, but $10000 in the US. Overall, US has more $ than UAE!

(2) India, China & Russia are also major oppositions of any env treaty. Why? The argument is that for US, being the only remaining super-power (or the rest are 2nd or 3rd world countries), we oppose any env regulations to combat CO2 emission / global warming. Now, when US was also in its development phase, we do NOT impose any regulations ourselves already; and now that we are "rich" we still don't do anything. What kind of "power" do we have to tell the 2nd or 3rd world countries that, hey, even though you are repeating what we did some 20, 30, or 40 years ago (building their industrial strengths), you now need to follow all these rules, which we didn't have to.

(3) There will never be any hard evidence for global warming. Reason is simple. We only notice this in the last 30 years or so. Technology has NOT caught up to this scale of investigation, esp. when gov't will NOT sponsor this type of studies as it'll sure backfire on them. We can only shows soft-proofs and links that reflect the strange behavior our env has become since the industrial evolution. YOU DO NOT WANT HARDCORE EVIDENCE ON THIS, because when you get this evidence - it's already too late. For those who wants to argue on this, let me give u a very simple example. Let's say there's a suspected murderer. The only HARDCORE evidence that you'll ever get is when the authorities actually witness this murder to kill his/her next victim. Otherwise, all other evidences are soft evidences that require logic links, examination and challenges by both the prosecution and the defense team.

[Buckley]

Bears a suspicious resemblance to this venerable model:

http://www.littletikes.com/toys/toys-detail.aspx?Product_ID=2823&Ne=1&N=26+140

Wonder who will make those tiny tires.... Anyway I can only wonder what peoples tones will be if we was in India and not the US.

[Aussie Boy]

Troy

Of course this is going to have more space than a motorbike, because its not a motor bike its a car (hardly) as for safety the car comes with speedo, tacho, fuel, gauge and thats it, no air con, airbags, nothing, only the gauges, 5 seats and a steering wheel. i think id have a motorcycle over this, they have more power and ther are more car accidents than bike accidents.

[Happymantis]

Although I can't see why the average US auto consumer might want to buy this, I can totally see a small business application for this car! Imagine owning a local pizza restaurant and having $2500 delivery vehicle for in-town deliverys... I've thought about this, because I've seen so many local businesses struggle with fuel costs, especially when they don't rely on gigantic trucks to get the work done (like contractors, etc).

[Infibeam - Auto Expert]

This is good news for India Tata Launches world cheapest car know as "nano car" but people bother about road traffic as well as parking space. After this car india has to be solved those problem.

[Troy in Ft Walton Beach]

With a car this small, you could park two into a single parking spot.

Aussie,

Then why are motorcycke insurance premiums typically higher than cars? Sure, there are more car accidents simply due to the fact there are more cars. In the rain or cold, and if your only transportation, would you rather be on a two wheeler or inside a small car?

[Kaptain K]

As a former owner of an NSU Typ110 - 1100 cc 4 cylinder 1500 lbs and a Honda N600 - 600 cc 2 cylinder 1200lbs (not to mention two motorcycles) I would be quite happy to drive a Tata nano!

FWIW, I once changed a rear tire on the Honda by picking it up by the rear bumper and kicking a cinder block under the axle!

[Mohd Shahanwaz]

Can i by this Nano car in bahrain?

[JAIME AVENIDO]

i am interested in this car NANO, PLEASE LET ME KNOW
WHERE i CAN BUY ONE.i WILL BE DRIVING THIS CAR IN THE PHILIPPNES.