Companies maximise market with frugal engineering

Amid much fanfare, Tata launched the "world's cheapest car" in 2008, for US$2,500 [Dh9,182]. It is a rear-engine, four-seat passenger car available in three variants: Nano standard, Nano CX, Nano LX. Citing rising input prices, Tata raised the price of its models.

The Nano standard is now available for 123,000 rupees [Dh10,128]; the Nano CX for 148,000 rupees; and the Nano LX for 172,000 rupees.

Swach water purifier

The product was launched by Tata in December 2009 because of the rising number of cases of water-borne disease in India. The low-cost appliance operates without electricity and offers a cheaper option of purifying drinking water compared with boiling. The product is available in two variants, priced at 749 rupees and 999 rupees. "Our focus is … to access the largest number of people," Ratan Tata, the chairman of the Tata Group, said at the product's launch.

Low-cost tablet computer

The prototype of this handheld device was unveiled by the Indian government in July.

The unnamed Linux-based tool will be made available in thousands of higher-education institutions this year and could be used by students who cannot afford to buy laptops or personal computers.

The tablet is expected to sell for $35, and the government hopes to bring down its price to $10.

Electrocardiogram

In 2009, the Bangalore-based healthcare laboratory of General Electric launched a light, portable electrocardiogram available for $800, or half the price of the conventional, bulky device used by most hospitals.

An ECG test, which normally costs patients thousands of rupees, costs less than 50 rupees with this device.