Emission norms for passenger cars

Norms CO( g/km) HC+ NOx(g/km) 1991Norms

14.3-27.1

2.0(Only HC)

1996 Norms

8.68-12.40

3.00-4.36

1998Norms

4.34-6.20

1.50-2.18

India stage 2000 norms

2.72

0.97

Bharat stage-II

2.2

0.5

Bharat Stage-III

2.3

0.35(combined)

Bharat Stage-IV

1.0

0.18(combined)

Emission norms for Heavy Diesel vehicles Emission Norms for 2/3 wheeler

Norms CO( g/kmhr)HC (g/kmhr)NOx (g/kmhr) PM(g/kwhr)1991Norms

14

3.5

18

-

1996 Norms

11.2

2.4

14.4

-

India stage 2000 norms

4.5

1.1

8.0

0.36

Bharat stage-II

4.0

1.1

7.0

0.15

Bharat Stage-III

2.1

1.6

5.0

0.10

Bharat Stage-IV

1.5

0.96

3.5

0.02

Norms CO( g/km) HC+ NOx)(g/km) 1991Norms

12-30

8-12 (only HC)

1996 Norms

4.5

3.6

India stage 2000 norms

2.0

2.0

Bharat stage-II

1.6

1.5

Bharat Stage-III

1.0

1.0

The pollution standards for in use vehicles have been prescribed under Rule 115(2) of Central Motor vehicles Rules, 1989. They are:

(i) Petrol/CNG/LPG Vehicles:S. NoVehicle TypeCO %HC (n-hexane equivalent) ppm

12&3-Wheelers (2/4-stroke) (Vehicles manufactured on and before 31/3/2000)4.59000

22&3-Wheelers (2-stroke) (Vehicles manufactured after 31/3/2000)3.56000

32&3-Wheelers (4-stroke) (Vehicles manufactured after 31/3/2000)3.54500

4 4- wheelers manufactured as per pre Bharat Stage II norms3.01500

54- wheelers manufactured as per Bharat Stage- II, Bharat Stage III 0.5750

(Petrol/Compressed Natural Gas/liquefied Petroleum Gas driven vehicles, manufactured as per Bharat Stage IV norms)

S.No.Vehicle TypeIdle emission limitsHigh idle emission limited

(1)(2)(3)(4)

CO%HC(n hexane equivalent ) ppmCO%Lambda

(RPM-2500 +200)

1.Compressed Natural Gas/Liquefied Petroleum Gas driven 4 wheelers manufactured as per Bharat Stage IV norms.0.3%200 ppm--

2.Petrol driven 4-wheelers manufactured as per Bharat Stage IV norms.0.3%200 ppm0.21/+ 0.03 oras declared by the vehicle manufacturer.

(II) For (Diesel Vehicles)

S.No.Method of TestMaximum smoke density

(1)(2)(3)

Light absorption co-efficient (1/metre)Hartidge units

1.Free acceleration test for turbo charged engine and naturally aspirated engine for vehicles manufactured as per pre-Bharat Stage IV norms.2.4565

2.Free acceleration test for turbo charged engine and naturally aspirated engine for vehicles manufactured as per Bharat Stage IV norms1.6250

Vehicle emission norms were set for the first time in 1990s when the government under the Supreme Court order introduced Euro norms in 1999. Later, it was replaced by Bharat Stage Emission standards.

Under the Bharat Stage IV norms which are in turn based on Euro IV norms, Bharat Stage-IV , CO should be 1.0 (g/km) and HC+NOx (g/km) should be 0.18 (combined)1 as per CPCB.

The implementation has however suffered from certain limitations such as the need for retro fitting of catalytic converter and other devices on older systems in use. New vehicles and systems come with these devices but the bottleneck is that the process gets hampered in the presence of lead/sulphur. So to counter this, the fuel needs to have less of lead and sulphur. In India, this has been achieved by selling unleaded fuel and placing a limit on amount of sulphur.

Table 1: Emission Standards and their Implementation in India1 & 2Emission StandardImplementationRSPM*

India 2000 Based on Euro 1Nationwide0.14

Bharat Stage II Based on Euro 2NCR*, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai0.08

Bharat Stage IIIBased on Euro 3NCR+ 11 cities (Nationwide implementation by 2010)0.05

Bharat Stage IV Based on Euro IVNCR+ 13 Cities (Plan for all India implementation by 2017)0.025

Bharat Stage V2022 (All India)**0.005

Bharat Stage VI2024 and onwards (All India)**0.0025

* RSPM- Respirable suspended particulate matter

** As per Saumitra committee recommendation

In 2012 end, The Government of India appointed a committee under Saumitra Chaudhri to draft the Auto Fuel Vision Policy road map up to the year 2025. He was a member of planning commission (no longer in office because of government change at the centre).

Recommendations of Saumitra Chaudhri Committee31. Discusses implementation of next series of Bharat norms, financial and taxation issues. There is not enough BS IV fuel to meet the entire needs of the country, but this objective can be achieved by timely completion of ongoing projects and initiating and completing some others.

2. Alternate fuels are discussed in detail including Hydrogen vision 2020.

3. Suggests differential taxation, i.e. more on diesel SUV cars and less on hybrid and EV cars, CNG vehicles etc.

4. The report notes that, Reducing the sulphur content of auto fuel, especially diesel, opens up greater options for emission control by way of after treatment devices.

5. Discuses capacity and fiscal investment required by refineries to be able to meet the demand for fuel for implementation of Bharat emissions standards.

6. The report notes that, Vehicle pollution strategy consists of four components i.e. increasingly stringent new vehicles standards, specifications for clean fuel, proper inspection and maintenance of in used vehicles and transport and travel management.

7. Retro fitting of emission control devices.

8. Suggests carrying out a number of studies including on environment and health impact.

NEW DELHI: In the battle between oil and auto companies, an expert panel is all set to recommend a shift to cleaner emission norms and is expected to take the middle path, suggesting a move to Bharat Stage IV+ from 2016, before moving to Bharat Stage V in 2021.

The shift to Bharat V, a long delayed move, will lead to a steep decline in sulphur levels and help in aiding the fight against pollution. Enforcement of cleaner emission norms across the country has taken time.

Sources said in the initial rounds, BS-IV+ will be introduced in the major cities as the oil companies are not fully geared for a nationwide transition that will take place from January 2017. Similarly, a national rollout of BS-V is proposed to take place in 2022. The sources said that even under this route the sulphur level will come down to 50PPM from 350 under BS-III, and then move to 10PPM.

The auto industry and several environmental groups are keen that BS-V should be rolled out nationally by 2016 since car and bike makers will gain from the transition, requiring retrofitting as well as replacement of old vehicles. Besides, the auto industry resorts to a price hike when new emission norms are introduced, helping it improve its margins.

In contrast, oil companies have to make significant investment in upgrading the quality of fuel, with some estimates pegging the shift to BS-V at over Rs 75,000 crore. "There are some refineries that can make the transition quickly but there are several others that need time. In fact, the ones in the North East may find it tough to meet the aromatic requirements even later," said a source familiar with the discussions in the panel.

Besides they pointed out that even the transition to BS-IV has not been smooth with a phased rollout taking place. The government moved to BS-IV in 13 cities from 2010, while other parts of the country remained on a lower level of emission. Experts said the government should move towards a common emission norm throughout the country.

"You cannot have a dual system for emission norms. The government must implement BS-IV across the country and then move to BS-V. The move to have a BS-IV+ is a half-baked exercise and will not solve the real purpose which is clean air," said S P Singh, senior fellow Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training.

The emission standards for the country were first set out in the National Auto Fuel Policy 2003. It had set out a road map for achieving various vehicular emission norms over a period of time and the corresponding fuel quality upgrade requirements.

While it did not recommend any particular fuel or technology for achieving the desired emission norms, it had suggested, taking into account security of supplies and existing logistics perspectives, that liquid fuels should remain as main auto fuels throughout the country and that the use of CNG/LPG be encouraged in cities affected by higher pollution levels so as to enable vehicle owners to have the choice of the fuel and technology combination.