Community | April 30, 2009 | Comment on this video (28)

The World's Cheapest Car

pstoddard
With its massive middle class lined up to buy the World's cheapest car, the Nano, what will happen to India's economy, quality of life, and pollution levels? What's the true cost of the World's cheapest car?
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  2. tags:
    News,  Green,  India,  Current Radio News,  12 more
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    pstoddard Producer, pds Editor
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28 comments // The World's Cheapest Car // Video

  • ras_menelik
    • 0
      ras_menelik  
    • Image

    • want to buy the cleanest car in the world GO to India and ask nicely.

      Jalopnik - Tata Nano To Offer Compressed Air Engine Optional, Make Electric Cars Look Silly - Air Power

    • 2 years ago
  • MdrnHpp33
    • 0
      MdrnHpp33  

    • This is really amazing! Affordable and cute! But not really eco-friendly at the moment. When the new models come out how are they going to be more eco-friendly? How does the glue used to hold them together hold up in extreme heats? Would it do well in say, the 120 degree summers in Arizona?
      Here's a video about a very eco-friendly car, it runs on compressed air!!!

    • 2 years ago
  • georgywww
  • Debrinconcita
    • 0
      Debrinconcita  

    • I think that they would be okay for them to have these cars I think that it would be minimal higher pollution emissions rates than before. Nothings going to stop India from growing, but at least some of them can get around better than before? I hope so anyway!

    • 2 years ago
  • unclematt
    • 0
      unclematt  

    • India has 3 to 4 times the population of America. Thats a SHITLOAD of cars on the road. Think about how much we spend on our cars: 200+/mo payment, 100/mo in gas 100/mo insurance, 50+/mo tires, 50+/mo gen maintenance. This amounts to at least $500/ month we pay for our beloved cars. Think about what kind of mass transit system we could have if we paid half that amount per month. Perhaps India needs to think about these #s before they dive into a "car society" like we have built, where we are all but REQUIRED to own a car to survive!

    • 2 years ago
  • jh64487
    • 0
      jh64487  

    • fucking terrible idea. look what the new car industry in china has done to its environment.

      i know it's kind of hypocritical for an american to say it's wrong for other nations to have similar car industries but imagine what this will do (roads, cars, gas) to india's environment. we've already seen what happened to china within half a century. highest producer of CO2 on the planet. smog so bad it's causes enormous health problems not just in china but in surrounding nations.

      this is so fucking stupid.

    • 2 years ago
  • bwargh
    • 0
      bwargh  

    • It is a tough call to make. I would not own or advise anyone I know to own such a death trap, but for Indian culture it might be a significant step up from whole families on motorcycles.

      Better public transit would be ideal and all, but most people just don't prefer it over the independence of having their own vehicle.

      Also: Tata Nano = Tiny Boob? Hmm...

    • 2 years ago
  • Mikeysfake1
  • Herbal_Minded
  • ras_menelik
  • realitychick
    • 0
      realitychick  

    • Nano? Is Apple going to sue them for name infringement?

      And, do we REALLY need to send more of our money to India? Haven't we already outsourced all of our IT help desk support, accounting and more? Why would we import when our own country has such a problem in this area? Force the issue at home first!

      I'm sure it will roll over easily or get crumpled by any standard SUV.

    • 2 years ago
  • nursediesel
    • 0
      nursediesel  

    • Hmmm, Glued together... what kind of adhesive? how fast can it go? what kind of road surface is it limited to?
      Alot of unanswered questions. Sure it's probably safer in an accident than a family packed motorcycle but will dad be less cautious once surounded by a closed in vehicle?
      These all remain to be seen....
      Progrss moves forward, so we shall see.

    • 2 years ago
  • AveryMoore
    • 0
      AveryMoore  
    • nursediesel:

      All your questions and more are answered on the web.

      "Hmmm, Glued together... what kind of adhesive?"

      Specifically, no idea. But I do know that there are industrial adhesives that create stronger bonds than steel. That and the car's designer built cars for Gran Prix auto racing. The guy who put this together isn't a "hobbyist." He is brilliant.

      "How fast can it go?"

      Top speed for the high performance model currently is 96 MPH, otherwise top end is about 60 MPH plus.

      You drive faster than that? Careful!

      "What kind of road surface is it limited to?" None.

      The only possible limitation is tire size and proximity to the ground. Why such small tires? It lowers the center of gravity. Meaning it will be very hard ever to roll one of these things. The same was true with the Mini Cooper.

      Selling price in Europe? - slightly higher than 2500 USD for the low end model and 6800 USD for the higher end..

      When was the last time Detroit had anything close to that efficient and cost-effective? Not since Henry Ford.

      There's a reason Detroit is imploding and it has far more to do with refusing to satisfy consumer cost\quality demand than anyone is willing to admit.

    • 2 years ago
  • lordsbassman
  • artemis6
  • HsIV
    • 0
      HsIV  

    • Looks like a bad idea well the glued parts anyhow, but a country doesn’t go anywhere being afraid to fail. Go dot go

    • 2 years ago
  • NuclearLullaby
  • AveryMoore
  • Sexirobot
  • snanders
  • AveryMoore
    • 0
      AveryMoore  
    • snanders:

      In India, 2500 USD. They are very simple to assemble, like Henry Ford's Tin Lizzie, and skilled people already are migrating to India to compete for jobs.

      The smartest thing we could do? Buy licenses from Tata to set up factories here to build these critters. The sooner the better.

      This is the next version of the Volkswagen Beetle.

    • 2 years ago
  • sk8bs55
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • headphizicist
    • 0
      headphizicist  
    • Image

    • I dig what sCali's saying! It seems like a good idea for a family of four would be a lot safer in a car as opposed to crammed onto a motorcycle! I've been to New Delhi myself, and was shocked and in awe when I would see 5-6 people on ONE motorcycle! I kid you not, they'd have a toddler on the handlebars, the dad would be driving, another small child wedge between the dad and the mom who was sitting side-saddle on the back, carrying another small child/infant!

      However, as ridiculous as that is, the traffic is horrible in India! Considering that they are really lax on traffic laws (which actually seems a bit oxymoronic - India & traffic laws), having a million NEW cars on the streets would only jam up traffic even more, making it virtually impossible to get around via automobile. It therefore seems a little counterproductive to produce more autos and thus more traffic, if no one will be able to get anywhere efficiently. Even though it's argued that these TATAs (smirk) and motorcycles produce approx the same amount of pollution, at least the motorcycles GET you places.

      One final note - Pete Stoddard mentions that critics are pushing for a mass transit system instead. When I was there I saw that the Chinese (I believe) were in the works of producing a mass transit system, separate I believe from the Delhi Mass Rapid Transit System. However, current traffic conditions are affecting construction (and vice versa).

    • 2 years ago
  • dumbfound877
    • 0
      dumbfound877  

    • i think we should be focusing on the consumption rates of the Unitied States (5% of the world using 30% of it's resources!? WTF). India just wants what we have. no, actually, they just want what we wouldn't be caught dead with.

      what I want:
      every car in the US produced by 2010 to get over 80mpg. you should have a permit to drive a SUV or pickup.
      HUMMERs should be for the military only (or extremely expensive permits required)
      lets get the NANO over here! i want a compressed air car!
      lets start a recycling program that will scrap your old car and give you a NANO for free (the government could take some of the 1 TRILLION DOLLARS/year away from the PENTAGON and subsidize this).
      then lets pump money into LENR science (http://www.physorg.com/news157046734.html) and Membrane Electrode Assembly technology (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrxfMz2eDME).
      Take these two, slap on an air compressor engine
      (http://zeropollutionmotors.us/)
      and you've got a REAL car.

      HEY GM! GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS!

    • 2 years ago
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • AveryMoore
  • sCali
    • 0
      sCali  

    • Considering this car has basically the same displacement and fuel economy as a motorcycle, it seems like the environmental impact would be minimal, Furthermore, while it's no Volvo, it seems like a family of four would be a lot safer inside this car than balanced precariously on a motorcycle built for 2.

    • 2 years ago
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