Tata Motors is expected to launch its first Nano cars in the first quarter of 2009. Though the company hadd planned to offer the cars in September, just before Diwali, the increasingly violent protest in Singur, West Bengal, forced the company to move the Nano plant out of the state to Gujarat.
Tata Motors is, however, determined to launch the Nano as early as possible and the first of the Nanos will be rolled out from a satellite plant at Pant Nagar in Uttrakhand.
However, vendors say that orders for parts have been far lower; they have been asked to supply components for about 150 cars at the Pant Nagar. These cars are said to be for trial runs and will be sent to dealers before the launch. In the near future production of the Nano is expected be scaled down from 2,500 units per month to 500 units.
The rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection (MPFI) petrol engine was expected to have an on-road price of around Rs115,000, inclusive of VAT, transportation costs from the factory, individual registration and insurance. However the pricing may have changed somewhat due to inflation and cost increases associated with the shifting of the plant.
Tata Motors also plans to produce an electric-drive version of the Nano called The E-Nano.
According to busines channel, CNBC-TV18 Tata Nano will come in a 'micro hybrid' version also and would also use 'stop-start' technology, likely to be supplied by German engineering major, Bosch.
The channel said that Bosch is supplying the fuel and braking systems for the Nano.Though the technology will add another Rs4,000 to Rs6,000 to the Nano's cost, it would cut fuel bills by around 5 per cent. Bosch is also keen to offer this technology as an after-sales fitting.
Though many states had openly solicited the project, the Tatas opted for Gujarat, where pre-construction work has started at Sanand. The company has roped in Shapoorji Pallonji & Co, to build the factory foundation and the maze of roads in the 2,200-acre Nano complex.
Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group and Tata Motors had unveiled the Nano at the Auto India expo in New Delhi on 10 January 2008
