Tata mulls making eco-cars in India

Major Indian automaker Tata Motors Ltd. is considering developing eco-cars for the domestic market, a senior executive of Tata Group told The Nikkei while visiting Japan. Jamshed J. Irani, director of Tata Sons Ltd., the holding company of Tata Group, said the automaker wants to focus on gasoline-electric hybrids and electric vehicles, but added that the project is only in the planning stage. He also said Tata Motors is stepping up production of the Nano, which became the world’s most inexpensive passenger car when it hit the market in 2009. At present, Tata Motors turns out 100 Nanos a day at a plant in northern India. Irani said the company will soon begin full-scale production at a new plant in western India. The new facility will be dedicated to manufacturing the Nano and plans call for turning out 250,000 units a year to meet an expected increase in domestic demand, he said. (November 2, 2009)