Tata Motors, the company whose claim to fame is selling one of the world’s cheapest and most fuel efficient cars, is considering letting other local India-based manufacturers produce and sell their Nano under their brands.

The company began selling the 56 mpg car last July, and, due to high demand, is in the process of building a manufacturing facility that would produce an additional 350,000 units per year. The plant, located in Sanand in Gujarat, should be up and running by March of 2010.

But in the meantime, Tata Motors is considering allowing smaller manufacturers produce, rebrand and sell the car under license from Tata. The maximum amount of production per year in this fashion would be 10,000 cars. Now that’s an interesting way of selling more cars. I would venture to say that I doubt an American car company would take a similar tack since they use the brand to drive sales.

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Last week, Toshiba and Volkswagen unveiled a partnership for developing next-gen electric car batteries.

Mostly known for laptop computers here in the States, Toshiba is the General Electric of Japan. They build everything from consumer electronics to nuclear power plant components.

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I work on Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington D.C., near the White House. Sometimes, when the weather is crisp and the sun is out, I like to step outside and take in the air for a moment, watching the tourist’s walk up and down as they visit all of the Capitols attractions, they in their t-shirts and tennis shoes, I in my suit and tie.  This morning was no different, except for one thing.

As the tourist trolley bus made it’s way down Penn Ave, instead of ogling the famous buildings, the tourists seemed more interested in checking out the bright yellow Smart fortwo car parked at the curb, just a few feet from me.  I heard the tour guide say something about the building I work in as he stopped at the light, then I saw a middle aged husband and wife pointing at the car, and telling their kids to “Check out that cute little car!”  “Wow!” exclaimed a boy of about ten, “That’s just my size!”  The light turned green, they were off, and I was left standing, looking at something that I see every day in this city.

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Germany’s Daimler has teamed up with Essen-based utility RWE on a pilot project in the country’s capital. The project will see more than 100 electric cars on the road and a network of 500 charging stations.  Daimler currently has a pilot project in London, where a test fleet of about 100 first-generation Smart Fortwo electric cars are being used by corporate groups and municipal authorities, including the London Police.

Eva Wiese, a spokeswoman for Daimler, told the Cleantech Group that the new Smart cars in Berlin will have a greater range.

“The London one has 115 kilometers, and we think that with the new battery technology it will be a little better, but we haven’t specified it yet.”

Recent reports have pegged San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla Motors, maker of the high-speed electric Tesla Roadster, as a battery supplier for Daimler, but the Germany automaker is keeping tight-lipped about its power plans.

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When I filled up my car this weekend with $4.09 gas (choke, gasp, sputter), I was sure glad I have a Toyota Prius and won’t have to fill up for another couple of weeks. But I hear from a lot of folks that they think they can’t afford a hybrid and they have to hang on to their sub-20 MPG cars. That got me to thinking about ways to find affordable hybrid options so folks can save money and reduce their contribution to global warming. Here is what I’ve found.

Buy a used hybrid! The Honda Civic Hybrid is probably your most affordable choice, as they are quite a bit cheaper than my beloved Priuses. (What is the plural of Prius? Priuses? Pri-i?) The Civic Hybrid gets 40-45 MPG and is a great all-around commuter car. I searched and found a 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid with 49,000 miles for $16,000 in Los Angeles. I found a 2006 model in Kansas City with 52,000 miles for $18,000. The only Toyota Prius I could find in LA for under $20K had 79,000 miles on it! You might also try looking for Ford Escape Hybrids– there seem to be many of those available around the country. You can search for used hybrids in your city by clicking here.

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What lessons can be learned from this tiny car, that Europeans are calling Un-American?

When my husband and I look for a parking spot on the crowded Chicago streets, we often joke that our tiny Smart car would have many potential parking spots. Our joke can now become a reality as the Daimler Mercedes-Benz Smart car hits the American market. This car might help show Americans that bigger is not always better.

With nearly 1 million car sales in 36 countries, this car has made quite a splash over the last 10 years. The US Smart car will range in price from $11,590 to $16,590. In the US, there is a waiting list with 40,000 people who have forked out a $99 deposit. This exceeded the expectations of most, with many people doubting that the car will be popular on this side of the pond.

The car is a contradiction of everything that I think of as a typical American car. This two passenger car is a mere 106 inches in length and has a 3 cylinder engine. It gets about 40 miles per gallon, which I found slightly disappointing. Roughly half the length of an SUV, there are significant advantages to parking a car of this size.

Many people are calling for a cultural change to respond to the environmental challenges that face society. This car demonstrates European moderation, while providing a comfortable ride (for two). Could this car begin to undo the American mentality that bigger and more powerful is always better?

If nothing else, this car helps reduce the land area needed for parked cars and reduces the gas consumed to power it. The driving experience in urban areas is a bit more relaxed due to a larger choice of parking spots and increased mobility through congested areas.

It is too early to tell how popular this car will be in the US, or if we are willing to give up size and power for convenience and savings.

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