U.K.’s EcoCa set to challenge India’s Tata Nano

A little-known company in London, U.K., is set to challenge Tata Nano as the cheapest car by rolling out a 340-cc two-seater petrol car for as little as US$2,200 that it says will still ensure healthy profit margins for the makers. EcoCa, a small engineering and design company, is now scouting for a joint-venture partner in India to build the car with the same name. Developed with an investment of around £8 million (US$13.20 million) and inspired by the iconic Volkswagen Beetle, EcoCa comes with a convertible roof and automatic gearbox that means no need to change gears. The prototype is made of lightweight, high strength ABS plastic, which has good resistance to impact, heat and chemicals. It weighs only 330 kilograms against Nano’s 635 kilograms and delivers a fuel efficiency of 27-28 kilometers per liter of petrol against Nano’s 23.6 kilometers per liter, under standard test conditions. (November 26, 2009)