Tata Plans to Bring $2500 65MPG Nano to U.S. in 3 Years

Washington DC June 8, 2009; The AIADA newsletter reported that Tata Motors, the Indian automaker that owns Jaguar and Land Rover, plans to bring the car known as the world's cheapest to the United States within three years.

Customer deliveries of the Nano, which starts at about $2,500, are scheduled to begin in India next month. According to Automotive News, the move stands to make Tata the second automaker to import India-built vehicles to the United States and represents a low-cost threat to established competitors.

According to company executives, the Nano will need to first meet U.S. emission and crash standards. The company is also reported to be developing vehicles that run on alternative fuels such as clean diesel, biofuels, and batteries.

Distribution options include creating the car's own network or channeling sales through Jaguar and Land Rover dealerships, the two U.K. luxury brands Tata Motors purchased from Ford Motor Co. for $2.3 billion in 2008.

The four seat Nano gets up to 65 mpg and is designed to accommodate drivers on India's crowded roads.