23 March 2009

Tata's Nano

Indian car maker Tata Motors has developed the world's cheapest car, the Nano. It will probably cost around 130 000 rupees including on-road costs such as dealer charges and taxes. That is under US $3000.

Photo

Herein lies the the dilemma. Such a cheap car gives poorer families in India greater opportunities. With more cars comes congestion, pollution, use of more fossil fuels, further green house gas emissions etc

At one time, Ford's Model T sold for a similar price in today's terms, $300 in the 1920s.

Perhaps people should be discouraged from driving and owning cars.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Let's start with the west giving up their automobiles! The Nano (with all its challenges, issues & consequent dilemmas) is a small, fuel efficient car. Let’s see how many in the US are ready to give up their oversized, overpowered & over-engineered SUV’s & replace them with Nano-equivalents?

ACT said...

Good point. More cars should be taken off the road in the US and Europe.