2015 Indian Two-Wheelers' Emission Norms will Increase Price

The Indian Government is all set to apply stricter emission norms for two-wheelers by 2015. The revised norms are already decided and manufacturers will be notified about them very soon. The emission limit is expected to be 75 percent of the current rate in the future. To cope with the new norms, manufacturers have to redesign their products or implement more advance emission control technologies. This will lead to increase the prices of the two-wheelers from Rs. 1,500 to 10,000.

A senior government official, who did not wish to be named said, "We have carefully scrutinised the requirements for the Indian market. The Indian emission norms for two-wheelers are unique since we don't follow the European Union as we do in the case of bigger vehicles like cars, trucks and buses."

Although, the current products of the Indian manufacturers are coming with many emission control technologies, the overall emission status is increasing drastically. Reason behind is, around 75 percent of the global vehicle emission comes from the two-wheeler segment and India is the largest two-wheeler market of the world.

The environment doesn't only get affected by the exahuast gas emission but there is another type of emission in the form of fuel vapour, which comes from the vent of fuel tank. This emission is called evaporative emission and contributes a significant percentage to the overall emissions. The fuel tank vent is necessary for the fuel supply to the engine, but this vent is not required in parking condition. So, the new norms will include implementing of evaporative emission control unit.

Worldwide Harmonised Testing Cycle, will be included as the new testing procedure in the revised norms."Until the last applicable emission norms notified in 2010, we were following our own cycle that was unique and crafted specially for India. Now we will adopt the global pattern of testing and regulating the emission norms for two-wheelers that will take them closer to the global norms followed in Europe and other markets," the official said further.

Generally, the norms are revised in the country by every five years. So, most of the manufacturers are already prepared for it. Hero MotoCorp told that they have already started the process of updating for the new regulations. One of their spokespersons said, "Hero MotoCorp has always complied with all applicable emission regulations. The new norms, when notified, will also be complied with well ahead of time."

Source: Economic Times