Tata Nano
‎
Overview
Manufacturer	Tata Motors
Also called	The People's Car
Production	2008 — present
Assembly	Singur?, Pantnagar, Pune, Kanhan_(Pipri) and Dharwad.
Designer	Girish Wagh, Justin Norek of Trilix, Pierre Castinel[1]
Body and chassis
Class	kei car, City car
Body style	4-door hatchback
Layout	RR layout
Related	Official website
Powertrain
Engine	2 cylinder petrol Bosch multi-point fuel injection (single injector) all aluminium 623 cc (38 cu in)
Transmission	4 speed synchromesh with overdrive in 4th
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,230 mm (87.8 in)
Length	Template:Auto mm[2]
Width	Template:Auto mm[2]
Height	Template:Auto mm[2]
Kerb weight	580 kg (1,280 lb)-600 kg (1,300 lb)[3]
Chronology
Predecessor	none

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.^[4] The prefix "Nano" derives from the Greek root 'nanos', meaning dwarf — as with nanometre. "Nano" also means "small" in Gujarati, the native language of the Tata family,^[5] founders of the Tata Group.

The project has literally become India's claim-for-fame in the international-media due to Tata Motors's foresight, innovation, and focus on quality in developing the car, as well as keeping it low in price to make Nano affordable for the masses. The car itself is expected to boost the Indian Economy as well as expand the Indian car market by 65%, according to rating agency CRISIL.^[6] The car is personally-supported and envisioned by legendary industrialist Ratan Tata of Tata Sons and Chairman of the Tata Group and Tata Motors, who has described it as an eco-friendly "people's car", and Nano has been greatly appreciated by many sources and the media for its low-cost^[7][8] and eco-friendly initiatives which include using compressed-air as fuel^[9] and an electric-version^[10][11]. Tata Group is expected to mass-manufacture the Nano in very large quantities, particularly the electric-version, and, besides selling them in India, to also export them world-wide^[12][13][14].

With the car itself currently under final development, ongoing opposition to Tata's Singur factory has put construction of the factory on hold, disappointing many, including prospective customers as well as Tata Motors.^[15] Several sources now report that the whole issue has been deliberately "politicized"^[16][17] to gain popularity for elections, particularly by Mamata Banerjee (politician) of Trinamool Congress^[18], and this controversial non-compromising and hostile attitude of hers has hit back, at least temporarily as Tata's decision to resume work at Singur is unclear, at West Bengal's economy and jobs because immediate startup of Tata's Singur plant could have led to a severe boost to the state's as well as India's economy. Mamata Banerjee has also been severely criticized in the media and by the people for not even trying to resolve the issue, thus leading to (if only temporary) a setback to industrialisation in West Bengal. Mamata also said whether Tatas move out of Singur or not would not change her stand.^[19] She's rather focusing only on making political-statements to promote and progress her party (like “The state government has no right to stay in power”), no matter whether West Bengal and India progress or not. “Educated youths will stand up against her,” veteran leader Benoy Konar said, outlining his own party’s line of campaign^[20].

Even West Bengal's governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi personally asked her to at least negotiate but she was completely unwilling to resolve the problem, instead sticking to her impractical demands of return of numerous portions of land. "The first imperative is that of a dialogue, not when a crisis hangs overhead, but well in advance. The way in which agriculture and industry are seen juxtaposed is not right. There is scope and need for both," said Gandhi^[21].

Financial Times reported^[22]: "If ever there were a symbol of India’s ambitions to become a modern nation, it would surely be the Nano, the tiny car with the even tinier price-tag. A triumph of homegrown engineering, the $2,200 (€1,490, £1,186) Nano encapsulates the dream of millions of Indians groping for a shot at urban prosperity. That process has stalled... No big economy has prospered without undergoing a huge, often brutal, shift of labour from the countryside to cities and from farms to factories... in 2004 there were 6.75m “standard workers” (working 300 days a year, eight hours a day) engaged in Indian manufacturing versus 61m in the Chinese sector... Even so, there is a yawning gap with China. India’s information technology and service sector, no matter how dynamic, simply cannot absorb enough labour. To truly shine, India will need millions, perhaps tens of millions, more manufacturing jobs. Why has it not created them?"

Tata Motors is now expected to take some stern and revolutionary measures to start the car-production in full-swing, and this includes even starting the project forcefully in Singur under strict-security as well as to temporary start the production from its other plants, mainly Pantnagar unit. However, this political-agitation might even conclude in a good-result because it might get Tata Motors to build additional plant(s) that could boost production-capacity drastically, but this will happen only if work at Singur plant is resumed soon.

The project to create the world's cheapest car began in 2003, under the Chairman of Tata Motors, Ratan Tata, ^[23] inspired by the number of Indian families with two-wheeled rather than four-wheeled transport^[24]. The Nano's development has been tempered by the company's success in producing the low cost 4 wheeled Ace truck in May 2005.^[23]

Contrary to speculation that the car might be a simple four-wheeled auto rickshaw, The Times of India reported the vehicle is "a properly designed and built car".^[25] The Chairman is reported to have said, "It is not a car with plastic curtains or no roof — it's a real car."^[23]

To achieve its design parameters, Tata has refined the manufacturing process, emphasized innovation and sought new design approaches from suppliers.^[25] The car was designed at Italy's Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering — with Ratan Tata requesting certain changes, such the elimination of one of two windscreen wipers.^[23]

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 versions, including one standard and two deluxe variants. The deluxe version 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.

According to one report, India as well as other nations^[who?] have great expectations from the Nano and are keenly and eagerly eagerly awaiting it, especially the electric version of the Nano^[26], which is expected to be released in 2008^[27], making it in all probability the "world's cheapest electric car" officially on record^[28][29]. The car itself is expected to boost the Indian Economy as well as expand the Indian car market by 65%, according to rating agency CRISIL.^[30]

BusinessWeek says^[31][32]:

The Nano is constructed of components that can be built and shipped separately to be assembled in a variety of locations. In effect, the Nano is being sold in kits that are distributed, assembled, and serviced by local entrepreneurs. As Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata group of companies, observed in an interview with The Times of London: "A bunch of entrepreneurs could establish an assembly operation and Tata Motors would train their people, would oversee their quality assurance and they would become satellite assembly operations for us. So we would create entrepreneurs across the country that would produce the car. We would produce the mass items and ship it to them as kits. That is my idea of dispersing wealth. The service person would be like an insurance agent who would be trained, have a cell phone and scooter and would be assigned to a set of customers." In fact, Tata envisions going even further, providing the tools for local mechanics to assemble the car in existing auto shops or even in new garages created to cater to remote rural customers. With the exception of Manjeet Kripalani, BusinessWeek's India bureau chief, few have focused on this breakthrough element of the Nano innovation (BusinessWeek.com, 1/10/08).

Tata initially targeted the vehicle as "the least expensive production car in the world"^[33] — aiming for a starting price of 100,000 rupees or approximately $2300 US^[34][35] despite rapidly rising material prices.^[36]

As of August 2008, material costs have risen from 13% to 23% over the car’s development,^[37] and Tata now faces the choice of:

• introducing the car with an artificially low price through govt-subsidies and tax-breaks, or
• foregoing profit on the car, or
• using vertical-integration, or
• partially using inexpensive polymers or biodegradable plastics instead of a full metal-body, or
• raising the price of the car

An increased price on the Nano will likely decrease demand.^[37]

As of today (22 January 2025), despite several requests by the media and others, no official statement has come from either Tata Motors or Mr. Ratan Tata as to when the Nano will be released and spokes-people also seem to have adopted a policy of "no comments". However, Nano's electric-version is expected to be released alongside the gasoline-version^[38] in 2008 only.

Economic Times reported: "Tatas maintain that the company will try and stay as close to the launch date, which is scheduled anytime between October and December. Initially, a small number of Nanos will be produced in Pantnagar and Pune (earlier decided as satellite plants) and the production is expected to be ramped up from January 2009."^[39] and "Information trickling in from the highest echelons of Bombay House suggested Tata Motors is tantalisingly close to rolling out the Nano from Pantnagar. A Tata Motors team is meeting senior bureaucrats of the Uttarakhand government on Thursday to press for a crucial 100-acre plot adjacent to its existing auto facility in Pantnagar. The Tata mission is to garner the requisite land (1,100 acres approx) to rejig the Pantnagar complex to manufacture both the Ace pick-up truck and Nano in tandem. The Tatas are keen to roll out Nano from Pantnagar in the October-December quarter in step with their original Singur schedule. Early indications are that the plant will be equipped to roll out some 200-300 Nanos per day. "^[40]

Tata Motors is receiving preliminary and some very enthusiastic support in the media and officials, even from Europe, for the electric-version from India^[41][42] as well as other-nations. The enthusiasm is even higher than that for the petrol-version^[43].

The Hindu quoted European Commission’s Director General for Energy and Transport Matthias Ruete as saying^[44]:

Though the fate of Tata Motors’ Nano plant at Singur in West Bengal still hangs in a limbo, nations around the world still want to see the cheapest car driving on their roads at the earliest; preferably in its battery-operated, environment-friendly version. “I can say that alike other nations, entire Europe is also eagerly awaiting the commercial launch of Nano. But keeping in mind the adverse impact of carbon dioxide (Co2) on environment, it would be advisable to have Nano’s electric version. I hope Tata (Ratan) is working on it,” said Matthias Ruete.

Effect on Indian Economy

Economic Times quotes^[45]:

Tata Nano’s launch could expand the Indian car market by 65%, according to rating agency CRISIL. The low price makes the car affordable for families with incomes of Rs 1 lakh per annum, the agency said. The increase in the market is expected to push up car sales by 20% over the previous year. “The unveiling of Tata Nano, the cheapest car in the world, triggers an important event in the car market. Based on the statement by company officials, CRISIL Research estimates the consumer price of the car at around Rs 1.3 lakh. This brings down the cost of ownership of an entry level car in India by 30%,” the company said in a report.

Thus, the Indian Economy is expected to remain strong and grow in 2008 and beyond, despite the temporary financial turmoil in the US, because the car will also lead to a boost in other sectors of the Indian Economy besides the auto-market.

However, due to the current Singur land dispute, the "Stalled Car Factory" is "Costing Jobs, Splitting Neighbors in West Bengal"^[46]

VOANews quotes^[47]:

Tata's problems in West Bengal are scaring off other industries hoping to locate here, including Infosys, a software maker that wants to build a business park that would provide 5,000 jobs.

Kartik Chandra Malik, 57, runs a tea shop near the boundary wall of Tata's Nano factory.

He says he is frustrated that the factory has been stopped. He says wants it to open, because when it is open he can do more business selling tea and biscuits. He is hoping his son, who just graduated from college, will get a good job at the factory.

Many of Malik's neighbors in Barispada are tight-lipped when it comes to talking about Tata's troubles. There is growing tension in the villages near the Tata factory as the protests continue and the plant remains closed. The Tata crisis pits neighbors against each other.

Malik says many of his neighbors are being pressured by opposition groups to protest against the carmaker. But many here already have jobs lined up at the factory or hope to.

A young man at Malik's tea shop said he got a job loading trucks at the Tata plant. For that, many of neighbors have called him a traitor.

Guinness Book of World Records

IBN mentioned^[48]:

The ambitious Nano car has not rolled out of the assembly line of the makers Tata's plants yet. But it is already in the Guinness book as the world's cheapest car.

Comparison with Model T

Some news-sources have compared Ratan Tata's Tata Nano with Henry Ford's Model T that co-incidentally was built around a century ago. Livemint said^[49]:

Ford Motor Co. is rich because Henry Ford used the assembly-line to produce the Model T in 1908. Ratan Tata is a late entrepreneur, making the Nano in 2008. India is 100 years behind. But we are waking up to the possibility of catching up. I just hope our planners wake up soon.

Times of India mentioned^[50]:

This raises the question: How have the Tatas accomplished such a task? Pursuing this question a fascinating story unfolds that reminds one of Henry Ford's Model T that was built exactly one hundred years ago (September 1908). Ford wanted to make a car for the multitude, not for the elite, with the best material and the best design that the technology of his time could devise, and he wanted to make it, above all, at a price that was affordable. This is the example that Ratan Tata has followed with determination. When he announced the price of his car in an interview to the ‘Financial Times’ during the Geneva Motor Show, his colleagues were 'aghast', but he had set his goal.

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 (21.97 km/L, 51.7 mpg (US), 62 mpg (UK)) under city road conditions, and 3.85 L/100 km on highways (25.97 km/L, 61.1 mpg (US), 73.3 mpg (UK)). It is the first time a two-cylinder non-opposed petrol engine will be used in a car with a single balancer shaft.^[51] Tata Motors has reportedly filed 34 patents related to the innovations in the design of Nano, with powertrain accounting for over half of them.^[52] The head of Tata Motors' Engineering Research Centre, Girish Wagh has been credited with being one of the brains behind Nano's design.^[52][53]

Though the car has been appreciated by many sources, including Reuters due to "the way it has tweaked existing technologies to target an as-yet untapped segment of the market", yet it has been stated by the same sources that Nano is not quite "revolutionary in its technology", just low in price^[54]. Moreover, technologies which are expected of the new and yet-to-be-released car include a revolutionary compressed-air fuel system^[55] and an eco-friendly electric-version^[56], technologies on which Tata is reportedly already working, though no official incorporation-date for these technologies in the new car has been released.

According to Tata, the Nano complies with Bharat Stage-III and Euro-IV emission standards^[57]. Ratan Tata also said, 'The car has passed the full-frontal crash and the side impact crash'.^[58]. Tata Nano passed the required 'homologation’ tests with Pune-based Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).This means that the car has met all the specified criteria for roadworthiness laid out by the government including emissions or noise & vibration and can now ply on Indian roads. Tata Nano managed to score around 24 km per litre during its ‘homologation’ tests with ARAI. This makes Tata Nano the most fuel efficient car in India. Nano will be the first car in India to display the actual fuel mileage figures it recorded at ARAI’s tests on its windshield. According to ARAI it conforms to Euro IV emission standards which will come into effect in India in 2010.^[59]

Rear mounted engine

The use of a rear mounted engine to help maximize 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, also with rear engined layout was proposed by the UK Rover Group in the 1990s to succeed the original Mini but was not put into production.^[60] The eventual new Mini was much larger and technically conservative. The independent, and now-defunct, MG Rover Group later based their Rover CityRover on the Tata Indica.

Tata is also reported to be contemplating offering a compressed air engine as an option ^[61]

Powertrain

• Engine:
  • 2 cylinder petrol with Bosch multi-point fuel injection (single injector) all aluminium 33 horsepower (25 kW) 624 cc (38 cu in)
  • Value Motronic engine management platform from Bosch
  • 2 valves per cylinder overhead camshaft
  • Compression ratio: 9.5:1
  • bore × stroke: 73.5 mm (2.9 in) × 73.5 mm (2.9 in)
  • Power: Template:Auto PS @ 5500 rpm^[62]
  • Torque: 48 N⋅m (35 ft⋅lbf) @ 2500 rpm
• Rear wheel drive, 4-speed manual transmission
• Steering: mechanical rack and pinion

Performance

• Acceleration: 0-70 km/h (43 mph): 14 seconds
• Maximum speed: 105 km/h (65 mph)^[2]
• Fuel efficiency (overall): 20 kilometres per litre (Template:L/100km)^[3]

Body and dimensions

• Seat belt: 4^[63]
• Trunk capacity: 15 L (0.53 cu ft)^[3]

Suspension, tires and brakes

• Front brake: disc^[64]
• Rear brake: drum
• Front track: 1,325 mm (52.2 in)
• Rear track: 1,315 mm (51.8 in)
• Ground clearance: 180 mm (7.1 in)^[3]
• Front suspension: McPherson strut with lower A arm
• Rear suspension: Independent coil spring
• 12-inch wheels^[65]

Suppliers to the Tata Nano

Besides the regular and conventional gasoline-variant (expected to be released in 2008 alongside the electric-variant^[67]), the following variants are also expected:

Together with Diesel Engine specialist FEV Tata Motors is developing a 684cc diesel engine for the Nano. It was earlier reported by media that Tata was producing an 800cc Common Rail diesel engine.Diesel Variant will be available in September, 2009. Diesel variant Nano will sell for Rs2 lakh (200,000 rupees). Nano will have the smallest Common Rail Turbocharged Diesel engine in the world and is expected to deliver steering fuel economy figures.^[68]

Tata Motors is reportedly working on some very revolutionary and eco-friendly initiatives, some of which are personally-supported and appreciated by Mr. Ratan Tata. Other than their Gasoline engine, Tata Motors will offer following options:

Tata Motors is working with a French firm on using compressed air as fuel^[55] which is eco-friendly and revolutionary in itself for a car of such large-scale. The company has tied up with Moteur Development International (MDI) of France for this purpose^[69]:

Tata is also believed to be making an electric version of the Nano (reportedly with attached or sideby solar panels as well)^[70][71] which might prove to be a boon for the society and the world, both in terms of cost and technology, as it might well turn out to be the "world's cheapest electric car"^[72] which is more eco-friendly and has many enthusiasts and media for its support^[73]. It's supposed to be as cheap as the conventional gasoline version. Tata is making the Nano compliant with export market regulations^[74] and plans to export such a car world-wide, particularly to the UK and the rest of continental Europe^[75][76], the US^[77], and Australia^{[78][79][80][81]}.

According to the Hamburg-based newspaper, Auto Bild, the E-Nano would be built in cooperation with the Norwegian electric car specialist, Miljoebil Grenland or Miljøbil Grenland AS^[82][83].

Tata’s electric-version has drawn attention and praise from top government-officials even, including even those from Europe (see Enthusiastic support). Electric-version is expected to be released in 2008, alongside the gasoline-version^[84].

The Nano will be available in three trim levels:-

• Standard
• Deluxe
• Luxury

The base $2,500 getting no air conditioning. The Deluxe and Luxury variants will get AC and body colored bumpers. Luxury variant will also have alloy wheels, fog lamps and ICE. Tata Motors plans to sell more expensive version in order to keep product line profitable.

Singur car factory land dispute arose as Tata's planned manufacturing unit for the car in Singur, West Bengal, where the state government of West Bengal had allocated 997 acres (4.03 km²) to Tata Motors.^[85] 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.^[86]

Activists near Kolkata, where Tata's manufacturing unit is located, burnt the car effigy.^[87] In New Delhi, a group of six women protested wearing T-shirts bearing slogans that said, "The Rs 1 lakh car has Singur people's blood on it." ^[88] 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.^[89]

With the Tata Nano project in jeapordy in West Bengal, there is now a race between other Indian States to become the new location for the Tata Nano project, with each state trying to entice the Tata Motors Group to their particular location.^[90].

On 2 September 2008, Tata Motors officialy announced that they were pulling the Tata Nano project out of Singur and " 'evaluating alternate options' and considering relocating the plant and machinery"(i.e. to another state). Thus, Ratan Tata came through with his threats that he would rather pull out of Singur than expose his staff and machinery to attacks.^[91].

As early as January 2008, Trinamool Congress had demanded a white-paper for the plant, and Forward Bloc leader Ashok Ghosh had asked Tata Motors to close their Singur plant within a year. He had termed the decision to allow the car plant at Singur a "mistake", and had asked the state government to take corrective steps^[92]. However, Tata Motors is now being criticised for not paying requisite attention to this issue at this early-stage only when the plant could have been easily shifted as not much investment had been done.

Moreover, in West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb’s own words, the acquisition of the land for the Singur plant has been a ‘mistake’^[93]. It is alleged that Tatas did not pay enough attention towards setting up plants in other competing states, such as Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, even though then Chairman of Uttar Pradesh's Industrial Development Council, Amar Singh, himself had invited the Tatas for setting up the plant in Uttar Pradesh in 2006 (see below).

On 21 September 2008, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee ultimately said, "The project will go out of West Bengal, if there is further delay. Therefore without any more loss of time Tata Motors and ancillary units should be allowed to work at Singur. I appeal to the opposition parties to accept the government's package on the land acquisition at Singur for the Tata Motors factory and withdraw the agitation. If there is further delay, this project will leave West Bengal."^[94] External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said, “If a group like the Tatas leaves West Bengal it will be unfortunate … a major setback to industrialisation in the State.” However, on 22 September 2008, Mamata Banerjee (politician), virtually unperturbed by the warnings, threatened to resume her agitation again, asking indifferently for return of 300 acres or more, instead of 70 acres that the government offered.^[95][96] According to The Times of India^[97]:

Mamata is sticking to her land-for-land demand, hoping that her stubborn stand will yield electoral dividends in rural Bengal it doesn't matter if Tatas exit Singur. Even her own colleagues in Trinamool have got fed up and are equally frustrated with didi's arrogance but they don't dare go against her. "I am fed up. Let the Tatas do whatever they want. The war of nerves is getting too much," a senior Trinamool leader said. The rumblings, however, make no difference to Mamata. Her eyes are fixed on Writers' Buildings, and not the small car factory.

Mamata Banerjee of Trinamool Congress has reportedly been "voicing provocative speeches to instigate Trinamool supporters to cause vandalism in Singur", to improve her public-image and to get popularity for winning elections^[98]. As of today, even if she resolves the issue immediately, the whole project would have been delayed by one month or more, causing unaccountable harm to Tata's image as well as harming West Bengal and Tata Motors economically and irrepairably because, though the car might release in 2008, yet the Tata Motors would probably miss the 2008 festive-season deadline that it had set for itself.

Of talks

"The talks between West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Friday evening to settle the Singur imbroglio failed to bring out any positive results," Economic Times^[99] as well as others^[100] reported.

Of "package"

The "package" initially offered by Tata Motors was rejected due to which the land-dispute resulted. Again, an updated "package" was rejected and criticised as "unfair" by the people^{[101][102][103]}. News-sources mentioned that the offer to get 50% more assistance for land-losers is simply not enough^{[citation needed]}.

Of Singur plant

IBNLive reported^[104]:

Initially, it was being presumed that Singur would be delayed and the first Nano would roll out from some other Tata factory. Now it appears that Singur might lose the project completely.

The Telegraph reported^[105]: "It is believed that the Tatas have told the government they will wait till September 22, the last date for registration of beneficiaries of the package".

Whilst business community residing in India is upset about the whole episode^[106] and has advised the Tatas to either relocate to Pantnagar or a nearby facility in Uttar Pradesh as requested by Amar Singh in 2006^[107], NRI business-community seems neither afraid nor concerned. Lakshmi Mittal of ArcelorMittal said: "Whilst India has been a big part of my past, it is sure to be a big part of all our futures. It does not give us nightmares. And we will not revisit our plan in India because of Singur episode."^[108] Indra Nooyi of PepsiCo also said, "We have a plant in Kolkata and it is functioning well. We are bullish on India and we like our business in Kolkata. I do not have an opinion on the matter (Singur controversy). It is for the company and state government to sort out."^[109] Her views are contrary to some of the opinions expressed by Indian corporate leaders, including Mukesh Ambani, who apprehended that the Singur controversy could dampen global investments in India.

Due to these increasing disputes at Singur plant, initial batches of Nano will come out from:

• The Tata's existing plant at Pantnagar where assemply lines of Ace Truck have been modified to produce Nanos.
• Potentially from Karnataka, as state CM offered 1000 acres at Dharwad with an incentive package.^[110]
• Potentially from Maharashtra as State CM Vilasrao Deshmukh invited them to relocate plant to chakan.^[111]
• Potentially from Gujrat as state CM Narendra Modi offered land in Mundra as one of the probable locations for relocating the plant.^[112]
• Potentially from Madhya Pradesh as state CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan invited Tata Motors to his state.

Singur was envisioned as the mother plant supplying to various satellite plants in various regions all over India but now that Tata has made a soft exit from West Bengal it is believed that they will have a mother plant in state which will provide maximum incentives and also has least potential for controversy in land acquisition. Availability of cheap labour will also play a major role in this decision. At the same time the Pant Nagar plant is manufacturing Tata Nanos in small batches of 25-50 and it is expected that this number will be increased to 500 per day. Tata Motors would like to have a more centrally located plant therefore Pant Nagar may end up as satellite plant supplying to Northern Region.

The Times says^[113]:

India has 8 per cent of the world’s vehicle fatalities and less than 1 per cent of its cars, with more than 90,000 people killed on the country’s roads every year. Introducing a million Nanos into the mix may bring more – and unwelcome – headlines.

Tata, which has the only crash-test facility in the country, said that the Nano “exceeds current regulatory requirements”. And while it is not a deathtrap – it has crumple zones, seat belts and strong seat anchors – it is worth bearing in mind that total vehicle crash testing (rather than just frontal impact), airbags and antilock braking systems are not mandatory.

Without these, the Nano would not even be considered for approval in Britain. Adding them would double its price in India, which is why they have been omitted.

It's believed that Tata will offer a version of the Nano with these safety-features, including an airbag system in its electric version.

As the Nano was conceived and designed around introducing the automobile to a sector of the population who are currently using eco-friendly bicycles and motorcycles, environmentalists are concerned that its extraordinarily low price might lead to mass motorization in countries like India and therefore possibly aggravate pollution and global warming as well as increase the demand for oil^[114]. Rajendra Pachauri, an Indian and chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said he was "having nightmares" because of this car and added that the car represents bankruptcy of India's environmental policy. The ecology focused German newspaper die tageszeitung feels that such concerns are "inappropriate" as the Tata Nano has lower emissions compared to the average Volkswagen, and that developing countries shouldn't be denied the right to motorized mobility when industrialized countries should be looking to reduce their emissions and usage of cars.^[115] Die Welt reports that the car conforms with environmental protection, and will have the lowest emissions in India.^[116]

In crowded metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Ratan Tata has conceived a scheme to only offer the Nano to those individuals who do not have an automobile already. The Nano will also replace many overloaded and worn-out two-stroke polluting vehicles, both two and three-wheeled. In the current policy and regulatory framework, Centre for Science and Environment consider that the economy cars will be disastrous. ^[55]

However, this can change if eco-friendly variants (cited above) are manufactured, instead of the conventional petrol and diesel based versions.

The Nano is alleged to have severely affected the used car market in India, as many Indians opt to wait for the Nano's release rather than buying used cars, such as the Maruti 800 (a rebadged Suzuki Alto), which is considered as the Nano's nearest competitor. Sales of new Maruti 800s have dropped by 20%, and used ones by 30% following the unveiling of the Nano. As one automotive journalist summarises; “People are asking themselves – and us - why they should pay, say, 250,000 Rupees for a Maruti Alto, when they can wait and get a brand new Nano for less in a few months’ time, a car that is actually bigger”.^[117]

India's recent cut in excise tax small cars has encouraged several manufacturers to draw up plans for small cars. ^[55]

Bajaj Auto-Renault-Nissan ULC (no prototype has yet been presented) ^[118]

Bajaj Auto says its $2,500 car, which it is building with Renault and Nissan Motor, will aim at a fuel-efficiency of 30 km/litre, or twice an average small car, and carbon dioxide emissions of 100 gm/km. ^[119]

The Bajaj venture will have an initial capacity of 400,000 units, while Tata expects eventual demand of 1 million Nanos.

Rival car makers including Fiat, General Motors, Ford Motor, Hyundai and Toyota Motor have all expressed interest in building a small car that is affordable to more middle-class consumers in emerging markets. The bulk of demand there is for small cars because people are much more sensitive to fuel prices.^[119]

Honda and Toyota are leading the way on so called cleaner gasoline-electric hybrids, and some environmentalists argue getting prices down on these technologies is where efforts should be concentrated.^[119]

Inexpensive and eco-friendly electric-cars like Tara Tiny (reortedly even cheaper than Tata Nano) and REVA^[120] pose even more significant danger to Nano.

• Tara Tiny
• REVA
• Automobile industry in India
• City car
• Girish Wagh
• Kei car
• Tata_Indica#Indica_Electric

After Singur exit, Nano may drive into Gujarat: Sepember 25, 2008 [5]

After Singur exit, Nano may drive into Gujarat: NDTV.com, 25 September 2008 [6]

• Official website of the Tata Nano
• A photo gallery of the Tata Nano launch from Auto Expo 2008
• Launch video of the Tata Nano
• Can the world afford the Tata Nano?, The Independent, 11 January 2008
• World's cheapest car unveiled, The Independent, 11 January 2008
• Tata's one-lakh car Nano: Western media on overdrive The Economic Times, 11 January 2008
• Why critics of the Tata small car are barking up the wrong tree Domain-b.com, 10 January 2008
• Specifications of 'People's Car' - Tata Nano [AutoIndia.com]
• Tata Nano Specification, Interior, Colors & Features [Infibeam.com]
• Analysis: Nano Hypocrisy? [ENN.com]
• The People's Car...Or Not?
• Designing the Tata Nano, BBC, 2008-06-05, BBC's Chis Morris took an exclusive look inside the Tata with Girish Arun Wagh
• Nano set to roll out in three variants
• Booking Tata Nano Car