60% of cars fail proposed fuel-efficiency norms?

[pjbiju]

60% of cars fail proposed fuel-efficiency norms-Pollution-Planet SOS-The Times of India

NEW DELHI: Here is a shocker for car owners — at most, 40 per cent of cars running in the country will pass muster if the proposed fuel-efficiency norms of the ministry of road transport and highways come into force.

A committee of the ministry has proposed standards that could stop the sale of many of the existing fancy wheels that may be glitzy but fail miserably on the technological front. That’s to say that their fuel efficiency is far too low for the weight they carry.

The proposed norms divide cars into nine categories on the basis of their reference mass — the weight of a vehicle with its tank full. In case of petrol cars, the committee has pointed out that in the small-car segment, only 40 per cent models clear the bar.

The story gets worse as the consumer goes for bigger cars.

In the 2,210-2,610kg category, which usually comprises sports utility vehicles (SUVs), none of the existing models achieve the proposed levels of fuel efficiency. The big cars in this category failed to clear the bar even after the committee lowered it.

The way the ministry has worked out the norms is a bit more complicated than the earlier engine size norm because the same engine is often used in different cars, giving different fuel efficiency.

Instead of looking at just the engine size, the ministry has worked out mass reference categories to fix the fuel efficiency norm.

Going by that, just 40 per cent in the mass reference range of less than 965kg passed muster. In the 965-1080kg range, the pass figure comes down to 31 per cent.

In the 1,080-1,530kg category, just 24 per cent pass the test, and finally in the 1,980-2,210kg category, none do
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Does anybody here has more info on this?

[vasanthn21]

I think this is a good move by the Government.

Everybody should maintain their car in good condition, and if it is harming the environment, must either rectify it or scrap it (saying this because I assume the vehicle would not pollute so much unless it is really old!).

We always compare with developed countries and say IN us it is like this, in UK it is like this, the roads are so clean etc etc. But when there is a move to make our country better, in any standards, when people have to pay a price... they cringe! Unless we change this attitude India is never gonna improve.

I would say the same applies to our driving style. Every one complains about it, but no one (excepting a few sensible people I find in team-bhp) is willing to change!

[praveen_v]

The majority of the pollution are caused by the Buses and Trucks. The modern day cars are not much of pollutants and gives a decent fuel efficiency. The first step should be to trash the age old busses/trucks which emit thick black smoke to the level of a diesel railway engine.

Improving roads and managing traffic (meaning provide proper space for parking everywere and prevent vehicle parking on roadside) and the FE of all automobiles will greatly improve.

[tsk1979]

Fuel efficiency and Pollution standards are different things.
A 10 liter V8 engine may give you 5kmpl, but will be much less polluting than a 1980 1.2 liter gasoline engine giving you 15kmpl.

I guess the govt is trying to bring in an EPA like thing, where the average fuel efficiency of the fleet by a manufacturer has to exceed, a certain amount. This exempts SUVs and trucks

This leads to a big problem for niche companies, who introduce only performance models
, eg BMW. If the average fuel efficiency across the range for a sedan is set to 14kmpl(example), this will cause headaches to such companies.

My guess is that based on the Fuel efficiency, the car would get excise cuts.
This means you pay less money to buy a more FE car.
However this won't affect cars like Wagon R and Santro because their FE would be similar(+- 10%)
However across the board, a 100bhp hot hatch may have to pay 30% excise duty as compared to a similar sized small diesel hatch which can get away with 10% excise duty.

A welcome move if its implemented properly. This will put an end to silly claims like 40kmpl(Ford and Hyundai have been bitten by this disease), and we will have a standard specified EPA like information on fuel efficiency.

[Sahil]

This is baddd news for us enthusiasts !

I fear that manufacturers are going to be forced to get less powerful engines to match higher FE. As much as we might love to have performance and FE go hand in hand, there is always a compromise involved.

[elfhelm]

which are the vehicles that made the cut and are found suitable? Is there a list of those anywhere?

[iTNerd]

That argument is valid ONLY if the traffic and road conditions in Indian cities are FE friendly..

[dadu]

I had read this one in the newspaper and they have not released this information on the manfucaturers/ models.

They also mentioned that even though they reduced the norms from the original but still many vehicles were not able to meet them.

Originally Posted by elfhelm

which are the vehicles that made the cut and are found suitable? Is there a list of those anywhere?

[Strider]

In my opinion, FE is a bad metric for any purpose, what is the govt. trying to do? Pollution control? They're already doing that with their Bharat series of emission norms, so it can't be that. What else, then? Lower the country's fuel consumption in general? They could simply stop deciding the fuel price and leave it to the markets, the spiralling oil prices would bring demand down on its own!

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by praveen_v

The majority of the pollution are caused by the Buses and Trucks. The modern day cars are not much of pollutants and gives a decent fuel efficiency. The first step should be to trash the age old busses/trucks which emit thick black smoke to the level of a diesel railway engine.

Improving roads and managing traffic (meaning provide proper space for parking everywere and prevent vehicle parking on roadside) and the FE of all automobiles will greatly improve.

Can we all just grow up and for once, stop blaming the government? And these are international norms? We want international cars, why shy from the same norms?

tsk's logic makes sense for me.

[tsk1979]

Even in the US companies have to follow fleet fuel efficiency norms.
SUVs are exempt for obvious reasons, but future versions of the laws may not be that kind.
Having a good FE across the fleet means that the overall fuel bill (import) borne by the country is less.
Thats one reason for going diesel. Diesel engines are inherently more fuel efficient

[praveen_v]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Can we all just grow up and for once, stop blaming the government? And these are international norms? We want international cars, why shy from the same norms?

Now we are at it again . I am not blaming the norms. Infact these are very essential to keep everything in check. But my point is, to implement all these successfully you need a good infrastructure.

Who else to blame than the government?? My job is to pay taxes and obey rules. It's the government's job to provide infrastructure. Now people in US dont go about laying the roads/maintaining it themselves do they?? Their cities are clean because the enforcement is strict. and in some time it becomes a habit.

My point is to make something a habit, it has to be enforced strictly and that enforcement has to come from the govt. No traffic cop in India wants you to follow rules and drive with discipline. They WANT you to make violations so that they can do "you know what"

[GTO - Touring]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

And these are international norms? We want international cars, why shy from the same norms?

What exactly is their secret formula in evaluation, phamilyman? And which exact global standards are they supposed to meet?

An example : This mornings report stated that none of the 8 mid-sized diesel sedans even meet the new norms . It is an accepted fact that the Indigo TDi, Logan D and Fiesta 1.4 Tdci are amongst the most efficient diesels around. If these sedans have not met the norms, what car will?

From initial impressions, I will blame the government for setting what appear to be unrealistic norms.

[tsk1979]

There is also the question of clean fuel. Even the most pollution free cars of the world can't deliver their emission promises on Naptha and Kerosene cocktail.

As for these standards, I wonder why is the govt not releasing them

[Gangsta]

60% of cars fail proposed fuel-efficiency norms? our govt. is going crazy, no brains at all. they themselves breaks the glass and then try to join it but they can't remove the cracks in the glass.

1. They failed meserably to control the quality of the fuel in India. In U.P side.. Fuel Quality, really 3rd grade on 95% of the pumps. Fuel Mafias are adding up Kerosene in diesel, Govt. is doing nothing at all.

2. Roads Quality and Administration - I don't think so they have any of them in any part of India. In Delhi, they are digging most of the roads somewhere or the other. In mumbai, Jamms Jamms phew!! Small roads. In U.P, Oh Boy!! Even highways are really messed up. etc. etc. with other parts of India.

3. If they are doing applying these Norms to reduce the pollution or they are applying it to save the fuel?
If they are doing for the pollution, then we don't have good fuel quality and secondly, we can see out of 100 cabby vehicals, 90 of them gives black smoke like hell. Why the hell they are not giving stress on the norms for more refinement instead of blaming the companies. Why they are allowing such car's to sell? No Offense Guys: Indica, Tavera, Sumo, Qualis, Innovas can be seen on the road with black smoke (i'm talking about the cabbies not the personal vehicals).

4. Number of vehicals selling also effects it. More and More rush on the roads. What will happen when TATA Nano will hit the road? I bet it will sell like a hot cake. More Rush, More Jams and Fuel Efficiency?