Delhi To Get BS-VI Fuel In 2018: Auto Companies Respond

In a bid to try and improve air quality in the national capital region (NCR), the Ministry Of Petroleum And Natural Gas today announced that it is in consultation with fuel companies to try and introduce BS-VI fuels in Delhi two years ahead of the court imposed 2020 deadline. Read more about that announcement: here. While the order does not cite any move to compel the automobile industry to expedite introduction of BS-VI vehicles, motown has responded with its take. And most of them, while applauding the intent behind the move, say it will be tough to respond to it in terms of actual vehicles.

(BS6 will reduce the emission levels in both petrol and diesel engines)

"Directionally, we feel it is a step in the right direction to fight pollution in Delhi. However, as far as the automobile industry is concerned we are already working on a stretched deadline to launch BS-VI vehicles by April 2020," said Pawan Goenka, while speaking to PTI.

Also Read: Delhi Air Pollution: BS-VI Grade Auto Fuels To Be Introduced Ahead Of Schedule

R S Kalsi Senior Executive Director, Sales & Marketing of India's largest automaker, Maruti Suzuki said, "These solutions will not help, I think one has to take an integrated entire view on these challenges of pollution and you know when we are talking about BS-VI, industry needs time to gear up to that because that calls for big changes - engines in particular. And then the availability of that fuel needs to be across the country."

He also told us, "The deadline that the government has given for BS-VI, we are working towards that and any pre-ponement will not be possible. The amount of work involved in doing those changes is humongous and it becomes all the more difficult when you have such a widespread portfolio."

Dr Abhay Firodia in his role as the President of the Society Of Automotive Manufacturers (SIAM) said, "the early introduction of BS-VI fuel gives confidence to the Auto Industry that BS-VI Fuel will be available across the country from 1st April 2020, when the Auto Industry will fully migrate to manufacturing only BS-VI compliant vehicles on a pan India basis. It also gives an opportunity to the vehicle manufacturers in this region to test and validate the BS-VI vehicles being developed by the auto industry so as to be fully ready for the April 2020 deadline."

Also Read: What Happens When You Put BS6 Fuel In a BS4 Car, Or Vice Versa

Hyundai's Director Sales &Marketing, Rakesh Srivastava adds, "We are ready with the technology, however, and certification and regulatory approvals will also take time, since as an industry we were working towards meeting the 2020 deadline, for the adoption of BS-VI compliant vehicles."

And Jnaneswar Sen, Senior VP, Marketing and Sales, Honda Cars India Ltd responded to the news saying, "Availability of BS-VI fuel ahead of BS-VI emission norms implementation will be a strong enabler for the auto industry's ongoing development and testing activities. This is a step in the right direction and gives us confidence that the auto industry will be able to smoothly transition to BS-VI regime from April 2020."

Shekar Viswanathan, Vice Chairman and Whole-time Director, Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt. Ltd. also added, "Toyota Kirloskar is happy to note that BS-VI fuel is being introduced in NCT of Delhi w.e.f. 01-04-2018 and Delhi-NCR region w.e.f. 01-04-2019. We appreciate the sincere efforts being made by the Government to address the issue of pollution through making timely availability of BS 6 fuel. This is a step in the right direction.

The industry has seen the move as positive but is unanimous then in its view, that introducing BS-VI vehicles even just in Delhi - 2 years ahead of the actual deadline - would be very difficult. While many of them have the technology readily available in some models of their portfolio (which they also export with BS-VI equivalent Euro 6 engines), they would still need to validate and test the cars locally, using the fuel supplied here, before being able to launch them on a commercial basis. Even for the consumer, buying a BS-VI car ahead in 2018 would mean always having to top up only in Delhi state limits, as the BS-VI fuel wouldn't be available even in Gurugram or Noida until two years later. So it is a bit of a wait and watch.

To know everything about what happens if you use BS-VI fuel in BS-IV (BS-4) vehicles, read our report here.