Report: Tata Nano Will Offer Diesel Developed With FEV

14 July 2008

India’s The Economic Times reports that Tata Motors will offer a diesel engine developed with FEV on the Nano. (Earlier post.)

The small diesel being developed by Tata and FEV will reportedly use a Bosch fuel injection system. FEV is also working with Mahindra & Mahindra on the Scorpio diesel-electric hybrid. (Earlier post.)

Although Tata has only shown its gasoline variant of the Nano, it has said that a diesel and a hybrid are in the pipeline.

According to sources in the auto industry, the car will sport the world’s first 800 cc, turbo charged, CRDi diesel engine. The diesel powertrain Nano will probably roll out in 2009. While Bosch is working on the CRDi system for the Nano, Honeywell Turbo India is working on the turbo charger.

...Sources say the 800 cc, turbo charged, CRDi diesel engine will be two-cylinder and crank out at least 30% more mileage compared to 800 cc petrol cars. Given that the smallest diesel engine in India right now is the 1.3 litre Fiat multijet CRDi engine that Suzuki has strapped on to the Swift and both Tata and Fiat will use in its future models, the Rs 1 lakh car will offer at least 40% better fuel efficiency than any small diesel currently available.