Having been to most countries in Asia, I can't count the
number of times I've seen an entire family of five people riding somewhere on a
scooter. Yes, one scooter. Rain or shine. When your average salary is a
$250/month, you don't buy a car. You ride a scooter, a vehicle which for much
of Asia's population is the de facto mode of transportation.
Of course, putting four or five people on a seat meant for
one and a half isn't comfortable or even safe. The children have to be
constantly held. Occasionally they'll sit on the rear tire shield or stand on
the front, skipping the seat entirely. Accidents are common-- and without any
sort of protection, even the most trivial often cause serious injury. Exposure
to the elements has its health effects, especially for small children who in
bad weather typically arrive rain-soaked and covered in mud from foul city
streets.
The Indian company Tata is trying to change all that. Its
new vehicle, the
Nano, has a starting cost of only $2,500. Cheap enough for tens of
millions of Asia's carless, it promises to revolutionize life for many in the
region. It's also sending environmentalists into bladder-quivering, teeth-chattering
rage.
Built by the Indian giant Tata Motors (rumored to be buying
the Jaguar brand from Ford), the Nano was formally unveiled today at the New
Delhi Motor Show. It has a 33 horsepower engine and a top speed of 65 mph. A
radio is optional...but the vehicle meets all emission and safety standards
for both the Indian and European market. It gets 50 miles to the gallon, but
that's not enough for Greenpeace, whose activists held up banners outside the
show to protest the car's introduction. Sunita Narain, head of an Indian
environmental organization, called on the government to "tax cars like
crazy" to slow their adoption.
The Nano potentially means tens of millions of new cars on
world roads. Environmentalists would rather see that not happen. But what about
the human cost? Should the burgeoning middle class of India, China, and
Southeast Asia be denied a safe, comfortable means of personal
transportation?
Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Motors, says, "We live in a country of one
billion people, most of whom are denied connectivity. [We] hope to change
that". As Tata listed the cars specifications (and price) to
an excited crowd, many clapped and even cheered. Clearly the car is
popular; possibly even revolutionary.