Jump to content

Tata Nano

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 150.101.78.49 (talk) at 01:22, 15 January 2008 (→Mass motorization and climate change). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Template:Future automobile

Tata Nano
Tata Nano ‎
Overview
ManufacturerTata Motors
Also calledThe People's Car
Production2008–present
DesignerI.DE.A Institute
Body and chassis
ClassCity car
Body style5-door hatchback
LayoutRR layout
Powertrain
Engine2 cylinder petrol Bosch multi-point fuel injection (single injector) all aluminium 623 cc (38 cu in)
Transmission4 speed synchromesh with overdrive in 4th
Dimensions
Wheelbase2,230 mm (87.8 in)
Length3,100 mm (122.0 in)[1]
Width1,500 mm (59.1 in)[1]
Height1,600 mm (63.0 in)[1]
Chronology
Predecessornone

The Tata Nano is the least expensive production car in the world. It is a city car launched by India's Tata Motors at the 9th annual Auto Expo on January 10, 2008 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India.[2] The standard version of the Nano (without air conditioning, radio or power steering) will cost Rs 100,000 (not including levies such as VAT/LT, transport and delivery charges) (US$2500, GB£1277, €1700),[3].[4] The choice of price has led to the Nano being called the "1-lakh car" (after the Indian word, meaning '100,000').[5]

History and conception

In 2003 Ratan Tata, the Chairman of the Tata Group, mentioned his intention and dream of coming out with a 1 lakh rupee car. [6] While industry rivals said a car couldn't be made at this price, Tata said "They are still saying it can't be done, Everybody is talking of small cars as $5,000 or $7,000. After we get done with it, there will hopefully be a new definition of 'low-cost.'" [6]

Initial media speculations was that this low cost car would be a simple four-wheeled auto rickshaw. This changed when Tata decided that a contemporary car not unlike its costlier models could be made at a low cost. TATA had decided to come out with a well-designed car instead of making a simple a four-wheeled auto rickshaw as thought of by their rivals. [7] As Tata said at that time "It is not a car with plastic curtains or no roof -- it's a real car." [6]

To stick to the rigid six figure price, TATA had to reinvent and minimize the manufacturing process. It also had to bring in innovative product design and other related details to effectively drive out the vehicle. It also had to get their component makers to look at current work and design approaches in a different perspective such that they could come out with logical, and more important, simple solutions. [7]

The car's designing was at Italy's Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering, with Ratan Tata ordering certain changes during the process. [6] He famously vetoed the design of the wind shield wipers, by reducing the proposed two wipers to one. [6]

Technical specifications

According to Tata Group's Chairman Ratan Tata, the Nano is a Template:Auto PS car with a 623 cc rear engine and rear wheel drive, and has a fuel economy of 4.55 L/100 km (51.7 mpg (US), 62 mpg (UK)) under city road conditions, and 3.85 L/100 km on highways (61.1 mpg (US), 73.3 mpg (UK)). It is the first time a two-cylinder petrol engine will be used in a car with a single balancer shaft.[8] Tata Motors has reportedly filed multiple patents related to the innovations in the design of Nano, with powertrain design alone having 34 patents.[9] The head of Tata Motors' Engineering Research Centre, Girish Wagh has been credited with being one of the brains behind Nano's design.[9][10]

According to Tata, the Nano complies with Bharat Stage-III and Euro-IV emission standards.[11]

Interiors and exteriors

The Nano has 21% more interior space and an 8% smaller exterior, when compared with its closest rival, the Maruti 800. The car will come in different variants, including one standard and two deluxe variants. The Deluxe variant will have air conditioning, but no power steering. The car is expected to be produced in the Singur plant in West Bengal which is under construction. The initial production target set by Tata Motors is 250,000 units per year.

Rear mounted engine

The use of a rear mounted engine to help maximise interior space makes the Nano similar to the original Fiat 500, another technically innovative 'people's car'. A concept vehicle similar in styling to the Nano but with frontwheel drive was proposed by the UK Rover Group in the 1990s to succeed the original Mini but was not put into production [12]. The now-defunct Rover Group later based their City Rover on the Tata Indica while the eventual 'new Mini' was the much larger, technically conservative Mini (BMW).

Technical details

The Tata Nano at the Expo

Powertrain

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 105 km/h (65 mph)[1]

Body and dimensions

Rear of Tata Nano in Yellow

Suspension, tyres and brakes

  • Front track: 1,325 mm (52.2 in)
  • Rear track: 1,315 mm (51.8 in)

Controversies

Mass motorization and climate change

As the Tata was conceived and designed around introducing the automobile to an entirely new sector of the population, those people who are currently using bicycles and motorcycles, Environmentalists argue that its extraordinarily low price might lead to mass motorization in countries like India and therefore aggravate pollution and Global warming. An Indian and chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendra Pachauri said he was "having nightmares" because of this car and added that the car represents bankruptcy of India's environmental policy. Meanwhile, supporters of the Tata Nano point out that it has rather low emissions, which is true when compared to other motor cars, but not when compared to the vehicles it is designed to replace. They also say developing countries shouldn't be denied the right to motorized mobility and that industrialized countries have to reduce emissions and usage of cars in the first place.[17]

Singur car factory land dispute

Controversies also arose about Tata's planned manufacturing unit for the car in Singur, West Bengal, where the regional government of West Bengal has allocated 997 acres (4.03 km2) to Tata Motors. The construction of the car factory on that tract of land will require fertile agricultural land and the expropriation and eviction of ca. 15,000 peasants and agricultural workers. The affected farmers fear they will receive inadequate or no compensation and therefore lose their livelihoods.[18]

Activists near Kolkata, where Tata's manufacturing unit is located, started burning the car in effigy.[19] In New Delhi, women protested wearing T-shirts bearing slogans that said, "The Rs 1 lakh car has Singur people's blood on it." [20] The Trinamool Congress alleged that Tata motors usurped the agrarian land for the construction site and have threatened to stall the manufacture of the car.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Specifications of Tata's Nano". indiatimes.com. 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  2. ^ Mohanty, Mrituinjoy (2008-01-10). "Why criticising the 1-Lakh car is wrong". Rediff News. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  3. ^ "First Look: Ratan Tata unveils Nano". IBN. 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  4. ^ "Tata unveils Nano, its $2,500 car". MSN. 10 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-11. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "Tatas' unveil Rs 1-lakh car".
  6. ^ a b c d e "The Next People Car". Yahoo Finance. 2007-04-17. Retrieved 2008-01-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ a b "All eyes on Tatas' Rs 1 lakh car". Times of India. 2008-01-08. Retrieved 2008-01-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Tata Nano, Unveiled!". Gawker Media. 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  9. ^ a b "It's a car, not an apology". Times of India. 2008-01-11. Retrieved 2008-01-11. Cite error: The named reference "EngDesign" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  10. ^ "The Next Peoples' Car". Forbes.
  11. ^ "Ratan Tata unveils Rs 1-lakh 'Nano'". expressindia.com. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  12. ^ "Rover Mini 'Spiritual' project". austin-rover.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
  13. ^ "Tata Motors unveils the People's Car". tatamotors.com. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  14. ^ Ruth David (January 10, 2008). "Tata Unveils The Nano, Its $2,500 Car". Forbes.com.
  15. ^ "Here what Tata's Rs 1-lakh car - the Nano - looks like!". Rediff News. 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  16. ^ "India's £1,250 car". autoexpress.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  17. ^ Der Spiegel Online: India Delivers World's Cheapest Car
  18. ^ Food First Information & Action Network: India: Right to food of 15,000 peasants threatened by a car manufacturing unit of Tata Motors
  19. ^ "Fiery protest over Tata's Nano". CNet News. 2008-01-11. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
  20. ^ "Singur protesters show up at launch, raise slogans". Times of India. 2008-01-11. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
  21. ^ "Trinamool Congress threatens to stall manufacture of Tatas' Nano". Economic Times. 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2008-01-12.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tata_Nano&oldid=184385793"