Cost benefit analysis of BS-VI vehicles

With all the auto manufacturers gearing up to meet the BS-VI emission norms as directed by the government, we look a the cost involved and benefits on the environment.

Amicus curiae Harish Salve told the Supreme Court on Wednesday, that to upgrade a diesel powered car currently running of BS-IV to BS-VI the cost involved would be just INR 36,000 while they would be almost 82% less polluting.

In petrol vehicles, upgrading a BS-IV car to make it BS-VI emission norm compliant would cost just INR 1,200.

The benefits in terms of reduction in emission of pollutants by investing just INR 36,000 in a diesel car was huge, Salve said. It would reduce PM emissions by 82% and NOx by 68%.

In a petrol car, a INR 1,200 investment in a car would reduce NOx emissions by 25%.

This information negated the stand taken by the automobile industry, which had claimed before the SC during the last hearing that BS-VI norms were proposed to be enforced from 2024 and if advanced to 2020, it would force manufacturers to invest huge amounts in technology, making their business unviable.

BS-V norm did not involve any significant change in engine technology except for improvement in fuel automisation with injection pressure 1600-1900 bar, Salve said. Even a BS-VI compliant diesel car had BS-IV compliant engine technology, he added.

But making cars BS-VI compliant would be meaningless if the fuel supplied by government-owned oil companies continued to be BS-IV or BS-III standard, Salve said. And these oil companies stood to bear the brunt of anti-pollution measures.

Source – ET Auto