People's Car NANO
What is NANO?
The Tata Nano is a proposed city car — a small, affordable, rear-engined, four-passenger car aimed primarily at the Indian market — first presented by India's Tata Motors at the 9th annual Auto Expo on January 10, 2008, at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, India.
Tata targets the vehicle as the least expensive production car in the world — aiming for a starting price of Rs.100,000 (approximately US$2000).The Nano is a no-frills basic car with a 33 hp 623 cc engine. It has no air-conditioning, electric windows or power steering that are standard in modern new cars.
Benefits of NANO
The car is expected to boost the Indian Economy.
Create entrepreneurial-opportunities across India.
Expand the Indian car market by 65%.
Criticism/Problems of NANO?
Mass motorization and climate change: It would clog the roads, the atmosphere and ultimately the lungs of little ones
Would seriously effect used car market: Middle class people would prefer buying NANO intsead of a used car.
Controversy over NANO?
Singur Controversy
Singur car factory land dispute arose as Tata's planned manufacturing unit for the car in, Singur, where the state government of West Bengal had allocated 997 acres (4.03 km2) to Tata Motors.The construction of the car factory on that tract of land began in January 2007 on fertile agricultural land and the expropriation and eviction of approximately 15,000 peasants and agricultural workers. The affected farmers have fears that they will receive inadequate or no compensation and therefore lose their livelihoods.
On 2 October 2008, Ratan Tata officially announced that Tata Motors is pulling the Tata Nano project out of Singur and "evaluating options from Maharasthra and Gujarat," as well as Karnataka to relocate the plant and machinery. The move is said to put up to Rs 80,000 cr at stake because there is no guarantee that Trinamool Congress would not be further emboldened by their success against the Tata's to launch similar agitations against land acquisition for other industrial ventures.
Currently, Tata Motors is reportedly manufacturing Nano at its existing Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) plant and a mother plant has been proposed for SanandGujarat.
Loss for Calcutta due to Singur Controversy over NANO?
A joint team from top US companies has scrapped Calcutta from its India itinerary apparently because of the Singur standoff, denting the state’s longstanding hopes of an investmentby Boeing.
In Competition with NANO?
To compete with Nano, Bajaj Auto Ltd, the country's second largest two-wheelermaker,announced a joint venture with Renault-Nissan to produce a $-2,500 car.
The 'ULC' code-named car, which would be rolled out from a brand new plant in Chakan (Maharashtra), would be available in the Indian market by 2011.
Facts: NANO
Why NANO?
The name 'Nano' was chosen as it denotes high technology and small size.
India sells about 7 million motorcycles, of which 10% retail for more than 55,000 rupees ($1,400). In light of that, “there could be a significant affordability” for a vehicle like the Nano.
Fuel-efficient engine: The Nano has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with single balancer shaft.
