Will make efforts to move to BS-VI by 2020: Carmakers

Ask govt to bring scrapping policy for old vehicles

After raising concerns initially, carmakers expressed that they would make efforts to meet the Bharat Stage (BS)-VI guidelines by 2020. Automakers asked the government to bring in a scrapping policy for old vehicles and to relook the fitness regime for these.

During a meeting with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, industry representatives initially expressed their reservations that it would be difficult to leapfrog from BS-IV to BS-VI directly, but agreed to it later.

An executive who attended the meeting said with the government firm on its decision to implement BS-VI emission norms from April 1, 2020, the companies expressed that they would take this as a challenge and roll out BS- VI-compliant vehicles by the deadline.

The meeting was attended by 26 chief executive officers and representatives of car and motorcycle manufacturers. The ministry is likely to issue a draft notification on emission standards shortly. Among the majors include, Vikram Kirloskar, former SIAM President, Pawan Goenka, Executive Director of Mahindra and Mahindra, Rajiv Bajaj,managing director, Bajaj autos.

During a meeting with Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari the auto Industry initially expressed their reservations that it will be difficult to leapfrog from BS IV to BS VI directly but later on agreed to it. The ministry of road transport and highways is likely to issue draft notification for emission standards shortly.

“No country in the world has leapfrog directly from BS-IV to BS-VI, as normally it takes 12-13 years to shift from BS-IV to BS-VI. Currently, the four wheeler category follows BS-IV norms. But since the government is keen to implement BS-VI norms by April 1, 2020, we took it as challenge and will roll out BS-VI vehicles by April 01, 2020. Subsequently, the existing models will be made BS VI compliance," said Vinod Dasari, President, SIAM(Soceity of Indian Automobile Manufacturers on the sidelines of the meeting.  

An industry executive who attended the meeting said they briefed the minister on the international examples of implementation of emission norms and the time it takes. One of the Japanese car makers is learnt to have told the minister that it is not possible for them to move to BS VI by 2020. 

The industry, however, has assured the minister that it will try its best to move to BS VI by 2020 at least for the new models. Existing models, however, may not be able to upgrade.

The auto makers also asked the government to bring scrapping policy for old vehicles. The Industry also asked the government to relook on the fitness regime of the vehicle. 

The meeting is convened close on the heels of the government announcing moving directly from BS IV emission norms for petrol and diesel to BS VI norms, in a major step to curb vehicular pollution.

Sources said the Minister urged automakers to manufacture BS VI compliant vehicles and also appeal them to develop home-grown technologies to build environment-friendly car engines under the Make in India drive.