India Advances BS-VI Fuel Norms for Delhi

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India will introduce stricter vehicle emissions standards in the Delhi metro area in April 2018 instead of in 2020.

India, a country which has approximately 170 million vehicles, lags behind the Wests auto emissions standards, and pockets of it have some of the worlds worst air pollution. The country first adopted its own set of vehicular emissions norms known as Bharat Stage (BS), in April 2000 and has upgraded them in phases to reduce chronic air pollution.

The governments move toadvance the mandatory use of BS-VI-grade auto fuels in the National Capital Territory of Delhi came after Delhis air quality reached hazardous levels earlier this month.

Taking into account the serious pollution levels in Delhi and adjoining areas, the Ministry in consultation with public oil marketing companies has decided to prepone [mandatory use of] BS-VI grade auto fuels in the NCT of Delhi with effect from April 1, 2018 instead of April 1, 2020, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a statement recently. This measure is expected to help mitigate the problem of air pollution in the NCT and surrounding areas.

The current BS-IV norm, which is roughly equivalent to the Euro 4 standard, was rolled out in phases starting in 2010 and implemented throughout all of India from April this year. It prohibits the sale of all fuels and vehicles that do not fall under maximum emission levels. The government last year announced that India would jump from BS-IV to BS-VI grade fuel standards in April 1, 2020, skipping the BS-V phase altogether. It originally planned to implement BS-VI for all vehicles in April 2024 before moving the implementation date up several times.

Fuel quality is one of automakers major concerns in ensuring vehicles meet stricter emissions norms.

Photo: Mark Danielson / Flickr

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