The Government of India has decided to go ahead with the implementation of Bharat Stage-VI emission norms from 1st April 2020 despite reservations from the automotive industry. The new fuel emission standard will require both automobile manufacturers as well as oil marketing companies to tweak their products, since the government decided to skip BS-V emission norms in favor of this stringent standard to rapidly reduce rising pollution from vehicular exhausts.
Bharat Stage VI emission standards are the legal limits on the amount of pollutants emitted by automobiles such as CO2, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. Currently, the Bharat Stage VI emission norm is the standard limit for the vehicles in India can emit. BS-VI is considered to be the world’s cleanest fuel, and meeting these standards would mean production of much cleaner fuel, better emission control and modifying the engine design. These standards will make it possible to use the best catalytic converters for exhaust pipes in internal combustion engines to capture pollutants.
This decision is estimated to make a significant reduction in air pollution and thus reduce carbon emissions and particulate matter suspended in the air. Carmakers in the Indian automotive industry which is witnessing a slowdown, were unwilling to comply with BS-VI norms before the deadline. However, the deadline is now mandated by the Supreme Court, they have to do away with their older stock of BS4 vehicles before 1 April 2020.
Automobile companies are now attempting to sell their remaining BS-IV inventory at substantial discounts. Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Kia Motors, and Mercedes have launched some of their new models with BS6-compliant engines (both petrol and diesel). Different sectors of the automobile industry, including commercial vehicles, passenger cars, and two wheelers are expected to recover and make just a single-digit profit later in 2020.
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Date: 11.03.2020 | Source: The Hindu, Economic Times