It seems a battle for the world’s cheapest car is growing hotter by the day. It‘s a faceoff situation between India and China for the crown of world’s cheapest car. Read on for more about this battle for the world’s cheapest car.

Have you heard of the Geely IG? It is Geely’s latest small car concept that’s been in the news of late. The concept is fantastic. Geely, one of China’s biggest carmakers launched the solar-powered car at the Beijing Auto Show 2010. The front and top were filled with solar panels. Now, are wondering if the Geely IG is an electric car? The answer is both yes and no. It is not fully electric but a hybrid that uses ordinary engine coupled with electric machines.

The IG is actually a hybrid car, holding an ordinary 1-litre engine, but amusingly paired to a low-cost hybrid system. Geely calls this the GSG system. In fact, it is a large alternator that stops and starts the IG at traffic lights and junctions, then starts it again when the driver presses the accelerator. No wonder, Geely has given the car the name IG. Wondering what IG stands for? It is Intelligent Geely. Basically, the new car is a meek hybrid.

The solar panel has been built in a way so as to enable the battery to seep charge while it is being worked hard by the GSG system. Now, wondering about the price of this intelligent car? You will be surprised to know that it will be priced between $1,500 and $2,000. Yes, Tata Nano better be scared! You have a very strong contender for the ‘world’s cheapest car’ title. There has been no news about the car’s production though.

However, it is likely to be set for production in Geely’s Lin Hai facility in Zhejiang province, very close to Geely’s hometown, Hangzhou. Geely Automobile has recently purchased Swedish automaker Volvo from Ford and has a headquarters located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China.

Geely claims that production of its IG will definitely be of better quality than the Tata Nano. Poor Nano! It has been the target for bad reasons for very long now. So many Nanos have caught fire and everybody has been pointing fingers at the car maker. The Nano had held the smile throughout the safety testing process.

Everything had seemed fine then. And now, after all these blows, we have Geely challenging the Nano. Unlike the Nano there is a chance that this car will be making it over into Europe and the United States; we are talking about the electric version.

Don’t you think the Geely IG is also kind of crazy? It looks like the car’s headlights are trying their best to unite with the taillights. The IG looks like a three-seater with the driver sitting front and center and the two passenger seats behind. It reminds us of the McLaren F1-like seating arrangement. Have you looked at the door yet? There’s just one door, on the passenger side. Strange but true, isn’t it? But that’s stylish enough for next-gen transportation. The solar panels; they definitely boost the green trend. The IG has been identified as a pioneering in-research model of Geely’s alternative vehicles. As of now, we know that Geely is looking at targeting the low- and mid-range segment of society in China.

The real version of the Geely IG is believed to be powered by a 988 cc gasoline engine stirring up 70 bhp and 93 Nm of torque. An electric version of the IG is expected to be seen in another 4 to 5 years. The total range of that car should be around 150 km; certainly looks interesting. What about its pricing? Well, it will probably be a little higher than the one announced for the conventionally powered subcompact.