Posted on 01/11/2008 10:41:57 AM PST by CarrotAndStick
The no-frills 2,500-dollar vehicle from Tata Motors, unveiled amid huge hoopla in New Delhi on Thursday, could revolutionise how millions in India and elsewhere travel, its developer and industry watchers said.
Although the minicar which seats up to five is yet to hit the road, many in India seemed to agree, most notably a rah-rah media that, the car was a triumph of Indian engineering.
"Tata reinvents the wheel," crowed a headline in the Times of India daily. "Pulls off a one in a billion coup."
The NDTV news channel dubbed the car a "hit," although the car will only face the real test of chaotic Indian roads in the second half of this year.
Middle-class Indians seemed to agree.
"It's time now to dump my scooter," Deepak Srivastav, a government worker, told the Hindustan Times.
The Nano -- so named company chairman Ratan Tata said because it "connotes high-tech and small size" -- features a two-cylinder 623 cc, rear-mounted engine with a top test speed of 105 kilometres (65 miles) an hour.
Derived from the Greek word for "dwarf," it is also a measure that means one part of a billion in what appeared a nod to India's billion-plus population.
The car whose cute appearance defied pre-launch predictions it would be little more than a "motorised bullock cart" will get 20 kilometres to the litre or 50 miles to the gallon and will also meet strict Euro IV emission norms.
"It is green, it is global, it is Indian," lauded the Hindustan Times on Friday, speculating that the car could "turn out to be one of the more important milestones in the history of automobile manufacturing."
Animated youngsters told television channels they planned to buy the car as soon as it was available.
"I plan to own this car by December, drive around Delhi, have fun with my friends, give them a ride," college student Devika told the NDTV news channel.
"I need that car."
"It's a good-looking car, it's a great achievement," said Indian auto analyst Murad Ali Baig.
Tata himself, likened by India's media to US automobile pioneer Henry Ford, compared the importance of the vehicle, nicknamed the "People's Car", to the first powered flight by the Wright brothers or the first lunar landing.
But in spite of the reams of praise, some remained unconvinced.
The head of the UN climate panel that won the Nobel Peace Prize last year indicated he would have preferred to see Tata unveil the "People's Bus."
"In my view, this represents a bankruptcy of policy as far as transport options are concerned," said Rajendra K. Pachauri.
In many Indian cities, cars far outnumber public transport options. India's capital -- where the country's biggest car show is underway -- has 1.6 million cars and 8,000 buses for its 14 million residents. Traffic crawls at rush-hour.
"If our roads are going to be flooded with these cars by a few million each year, what is that going to do? Every car that goes on the road is going to use road space. Congestion and air pollution are twin problems," said Pachauri.
"Why not improve the quality and reliablility of buses?"
Copyright © 2008 AFP. All rights reserved
The thousands of preventable deaths each year (from riding over-loaded scooters, instead of cars with metal cages) don’t bother the “green lobby” a bit.
Actually, while I hate the collectivist mindset demonstrated with this statement, my selfish nature wishes the same thing. What are millions of new Indian car drivers going to do to the price of gas? Even if this thing gets 50 mpg, there are going to be a lot of former bicyclists/pedestrians who will then be gas consumers.
And I wonder how he gets around? In his Mercedes SUV perhaps?
No, because Greens think that people are a scourge that afflict their goddess of worship, Mother Earth.
Holds up to five people? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!
That thing seats 5? Five what?
Four-seater is what they will classify it for certification, as per auto reviews.
You know, I realized something a couple months ago, when the French public transportation workers went on strike in opposition to Sarkozy's policies. It is that a nation dependent on public transportation is dependent on the Government in another way, just like being dependent on the Government for health care, a monthly retirement check, or subsistence in the form of welfare.
This is very contrary to conservative and libertarian principles. I do NOT want to be beholden the Government for much more than public safety, the defense of the nation, and our nation's roads and highways.
We could all imagine a country which, because of "green" policies, consists of an efficient, heavily subsidized public transportation system. Now, imagine a Hillary-type socialist leader. The nation could come to it knees one of two ways. First, a transportation strike by the unionized / Government workers; second, by order from the socialist leader because the nation is in opposition to her policies.
No, I'm with the bloody Indians here. You don't need more public transportation. You need freedom in transportation. if not a Tata, than a small motor scooter.
As if Delhi traffic wasn’t bad enough already!
My question stil goes. It seat’s four what?
Indians. Probably only two Americans though
The greenies are really watermelons; green on the outside and Marxist red on theb inside. Maybe there should be a search for some cannibal tribe and tell them to eat their greens..
Soon to be only one and a half Americans
I agree, and for many of the same reasons. I am happy that Indians will experience a new freedom and independence made available by automobile ownership.
This trend will come with its costs, I'm sure, but even these may be manageable. Traffic congestion will increase, but perhaps this will be the impetus for the growing Indian nation to revitalize its national infrastructure. Fuel prices will increase, but this gives us an increased incentive to more fully exploit our own natural resources.
India will face these rising fuel costs as well, so hopefully this increasingly-innovative people will be able to help us in developing new fuel sources. Not only will this benefit both of us economically, but it could help the whole world environmentally as well.
So I ask myself...Why can’t American auto makers make a better one for $5,000?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.