The Society of Indian Car Producers (SIAM) says the committee engaged on Bharat Stage7 (BS7) emission norms is evaluating numerous elements of the proposed rules, together with the compliance challenges related to larger ethanol-blended fuels, and requirement to measure particulate emissions from tyres.
Talking to ETAuto on the Bharat Mobility World Expo 2025 lately, Prashant Okay Banerjee, Govt Director, SIAM, says, “The committee has been fashioned for BS7, however the last framework of the emission norms is but to be determined.” When requested about how the upcoming norms will deal with totally different gas varieties, significantly ethanol blended fuels (petrol for now), Banerjee highlights, “Greater ethanol blends pose challenges associated to NOx and LDHs, that are being actively mentioned and addressed. Nevertheless, ethanol-blended gas doesn’t face hurdles in assembly hydrocarbon and CO compliance ranges as a result of presence of oxygen molecules, which support in combustion.”
Banerjee notes that whereas India bases its emission norms on the European requirements, there are concerns about native variations. “There isn’t a change in pollutant limits for EU7 from EU6, however they introduce further necessities akin to the necessity to measure particulate emissions from tyres. Now, that’s in Europe. We have to consider what works for India. Do we have to observe them precisely? The quantity of suspended particulate matter within the type of mud and building already in our air is a distinct problem altogether. Our committee is trying into this, as we don’t need to impose pointless rules that supply no actual advantages.”He provides {that a} cost-benefit evaluation and buyer affect evaluation could be essential in figuring out whether or not such a regulation is smart for India. “In a few 12 months, we must always have extra readability,” he provides. The EU7 additionally talks about limits for particulate emissions from brakes. Whereas EU7 has been confirmed by the European Parliament, it’s anticipated to begin from July 2025.
Banerjee emphasises that the automotive business has been on observe with its ethanol-blended gas targets. He outlines SIAM’s key milestones, “SIAM had set a objective of reaching 100% material-compliant E20 automobiles by April 1, 2023, and we’re proud to say we now have efficiently met that concentrate on.”
By April 1, 2025, he provides, “We purpose to ship automobiles which might be each materials and engine-compliant with E20 gas, and we stay dedicated to that objective.” Speaking about flex-fuel automobiles, Banerjee, says, “We’re additionally targeted on launching commercially prepared flex-fuel automobiles with every two-wheeler producer introduce a minimum of one flex-fuel mannequin beginning third quarter of 2024-25. Within the passenger automobile (PV) phase, a flex-fuel mannequin might be launched in 2025-26. Main four-wheeler producers akin to Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Hyundai, Toyota, and Maruti Suzuki —have already got flex-fuel-compatible automobiles prepared.”
Underneath the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) programme, the Authorities of India (GoI) has been concentrating on to attain 20% ethanol mixing in petrol by this 12 months as towards 2030 goal set earlier. Reflecting on the GoI’s accelerated ethanol adoption timeline, Banerjee notes, “This aggressive preponement aligns with key priorities, together with vitality safety, air pollution mitigation, India’s worldwide commitments in direction of the Web Zero Mission, doubling farmers’ revenue, and strengthening the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.”
As of March 2024, round 98% of the gas used within the street transportation sector comes from fossil fuels, whereas solely 2% is met by biofuels like ethanol, as per PIB. As India strikes in direction of sustainable mobility, the business’s preparedness for ethanol-blended fuels and future BS7 norms might be essential in shaping the following section of automotive innovation and environmental compliance.
