ENVIRONMENT

How Green is a Mini?

Tata's Nano may put millions of new drivers on the roads. It also may herald a new source of pollution.

By Jason Overdorf and Fred Guterl | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Jan 10, 2008 | Updated: 9:26 a.m. ET Jan 11, 2008

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Discuss

Posted By: EVtransPortal @ 02/21/2008 10:47:58 PM

Comment: Who are we in the west to criticize Indians or the Chinese for that matter for wanting the same level of consumerism we enjoy? The fact that it's not sustainable seems so much more obvious when we do the math, 2 billion cars by 2020. So where is the support for converting to electric drive vehicles powered by renewable energy? Visit websites like EVtransPortal.com and find out what changes are available. For example by adding plug in receptacles at truck stops in the US we could dramatically reduce CO2 emissions from idling trucks right now- 6,000 gallons a year PER UNIT installed, yet only 2% of US trucks are equipped to plug in. For more information visit EVtransPortal.com/cerip.html
Posted By: JohnGaltlaketahoe @ 02/20/2008 8:57:09 PM

Comment: No mater which way you slice it, the Nano is still an internal combustion engine powered with carbon emitting fossil fuel. Gas Jack. Get your gas here. It'll get you elected, erected and prematurely ejected and dejected.

The new energy concept design and practical use is solar, but not the solar of today. The solar of today is still too lame an attempt at capturing the suns energy. Also, the existing infrastructure for our energy distribution, i.e. Pacific Gas & Electric, or whether its Southwest Gas and electric...they should be urged strongly to going green with solar panels for the existing distribution infrastructure or straight to your home...already green by solar.
Posted By: taco_papica @ 02/18/2008 1:07:15 AM

Comment: How green is a mini (Tata's Nano)? And I shall ask How green is a pick up truck (let's say, Ford's F150)?

Taco Papica
Philippines
Posted By: kanandivecha @ 01/19/2008 6:48:25 AM

Comment: In unveiling his dream Nano, Tata is well on the journey to put India???s middle class on the global map of ???haves???. Despite all the initial, allegedly politically-motivated agitations and aggressive stance of the locals in Singur, West Bengal, against the Tatas setting up their Nano plant there, regardless of the cynical naysayers and Tata-bashers in the political, business and media world, Tata remained doggedly focussed on his dream goal of presenting the promised Rs. 1 lakh car to the common man in India. It???s Ratan Tata who is having the last laugh today. A word of advice to all the self-styled armchair auto critics -- do not look for the benefits of an apple (read that as the middle-ranged Maruti, Honda or Hyundai) in a guava (read that as the impressive-looking Nano). For Pete???s sake, enjoy the guava for what it is! What is striking about an iron-willed Tata???s business strategy is that instead of tom-tomming in the media the logistics of manufacturing his promised Rs 1 lakh car, he played his cards close to his chest, ignored the raised hackles of jealous rivals and envious entrepreneurs and went and built his dream car! (Reliance???s head honcho, Mukesh Ambani, needs to learn a lesson or two from Tata. His dream project, Reliance Fresh, would not have met with such nation-wide resistence, hostility and sabotage attempts from all quarters - government, traders, middlemen, misinformed farmers - had he executed his plans for the Reliance Fresh wisely and quietly.) Today, being in the eye of the world is like being in the eye of a storm. Unfortunately, instead of admiring and appreciating a fellow Indian???s efforts to create history in the global business world, competition is breeding more than its fair share of envy and jealousy. If India is to reach its attainable goal of being a global superpower, the armchair critics and cynics will have to stop indulging in negative posturing. Hats off to Ratan Tata. He has lived up to his name.

Kanan Divecha, Mumbai, India
Posted By: satshob @ 01/18/2008 8:29:25 PM

Comment: The west instead of harping about the environment and the air quality, must realize that they are contributing to the destruction of earth more than any third world country. The large destruction of green cover on earth lies directly on their door steps. If the West decides to reduce the dependency of our forests, the destruction of our environment will slow down. Instead of harping about how the Nano will contribute to further degrade the environment, you could use the same breath to suggest setps to improve the emissions that they are so worried about. Its just another ploy to make "third world" or developing countries dependent on the west by putting down any signs of progress. And I am sure the Nano will be less polluting than the Hummer.
- Posted By: MadisonWisconsin @ 01/29/2008 12:03:21 PM
  
  Comment: Voicing concern about having a million new engines spewing emissions, doesn't mean an implied endorsement of other sources of pollution. In other words, I don't think anyone is claiming "Nanos are bad, Hummers are good" or "Nanos are bad, deforestation is good." If people were to make those claims, then they'd be inconsistent in their logic, but that still wouldn't mean we shouldn't be concerned by a new major source of pollution.
Posted By: nawawimohamad @ 01/18/2008 2:28:27 AM

Comment: If the car is so good in every aspects than congratulations India. However if it is not good at all then God save the world. India has been the most hopeless country in the world, because despite having all the brains, cheap labour and all the resources it has contributed NOTHING to the world except asking for help and sympathy. Please prove that I am wrong!
- Posted By: sidthorat @ 01/18/2008 9:49:03 AM
  
  Comment: oh a muslim...why am i not surprised..i wudn't answer your question..but you know what? your kind deserves to stay in the desert and have sex with camels...and the only thing you have given to this world terrorisim..
Posted By: prshrivastava @ 01/16/2008 6:58:08 AM

Comment: If Henry Ford had invented the assembly line in these times, he would have faced the same criticism of bringing the car to the masses. What Rata Tata and his company did is similar to the assembly line innovation, it is going to change the way cars are designed and manufactured the world over.