Tata’s Nano: a Small Car with Large Consumer Surplus
Overview:
Tata Motors, set up in 1945 to manufacture locomotives, is India’s largest automobile company. It launched
Nano in Mumbai on March 23rd 2009. TATA NANO received huge response during its launch from people who dreamt of owning a four wheeler who could hitherto afford a motorcycle. The number of bookings registered during the prescribed period of 17 days from April 9th 2009 to April 25th 2009 more than doubled the initial production capacity. It was poised to revolutionize the face of automotive industry. Not only many two-wheeler users would switch to four wheels, but also the companies that are planning to launch a budget family car have to relook and recast their cost-pricing structure. In spite of all these there is no dearth of cynics who conjure up a scary scene of traffic congestion and environmental hazards that the little Nano is greatly capable of perpetrating by promoting mass private transport.
Critical issues:
1. Utility and Choice: In India, millions often convey on motorbikes and scooters with their entire families, perched precariously, often with luggage. This common observation – inducing heartfelt sensibility and pragmatic business sense that there is a crying need for a people’s car – prompted Ratan Tata to take initiative in manufacturing one. Initially people went crazy in their quest for the conquest of Nano to satisfy their want for a convenient, safe and all-weather affordable personal family transport. So much was the mania for Nano that for the first time in its history, Tata Motors had to gladly charge an application fee (INR 300).
Considering Tata Nano to be a much sought after product, it is expected that it will operate in the zone of the positive marginal utility zone (Please refer to figure 1 ), where sale of a new additional unit will generate proportionately larger change in total utility. Thereby the e surge in sales was an expectation from the company
.Initial response from potential customers
Tata Motors, set up in 1945 to manufacture locomotives, is India’s largest automobile company. It launched
Nano in Mumbai on March 23rd 2009. TATA NANO received huge response during its launch from people who dreamt of owning a four wheeler who could hitherto afford a motorcycle. The number of bookings registered during the prescribed period of 17 days from April 9th 2009 to April 25th 2009 more than doubled the initial production capacity. It was poised to revolutionize the face of automotive industry. Not only many two-wheeler users would switch to four wheels, but also the companies that are planning to launch a budget family car have to relook and recast their cost-pricing structure. In spite of all these there is no dearth of cynics who conjure up a scary scene of traffic congestion and environmental hazards that the little Nano is greatly capable of perpetrating by promoting mass private transport.
Critical issues:
1. Utility and Choice: In India, millions often convey on motorbikes and scooters with their entire families, perched precariously, often with luggage. This common observation – inducing heartfelt sensibility and pragmatic business sense that there is a crying need for a people’s car – prompted Ratan Tata to take initiative in manufacturing one. Initially people went crazy in their quest for the conquest of Nano to satisfy their want for a convenient, safe and all-weather affordable personal family transport. So much was the mania for Nano that for the first time in its history, Tata Motors had to gladly charge an application fee (INR 300).
Considering Tata Nano to be a much sought after product, it is expected that it will operate in the zone of the positive marginal utility zone (Please refer to figure 1 ), where sale of a new additional unit will generate proportionately larger change in total utility. Thereby the e surge in sales was an expectation from the company
.Initial response from potential customers