Bs6 (bharat stage 6) explanation

Author: Ankur Sharma

6. | EXPLANATION

In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling to place into executing BS6 fuel norms. Through the manner of 1st April 2020, But why is this decision so important? and how does it make an impact on your life? we offer an explanation for what is BS6 and the way does it differ from the earlier emission norms?

Bharat level emission standards (BSES) are emission standards instituted by way of manner of the Government of India to regulate the output of air pollution from internal combustion engines and Spark-ignition engines equipment, consisting of motor vehicles. The requirements and the timeline for implementation are set through the Central Pollution Control Board underneath the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. www.rycabz.com

What is BS6?

Let’s start with, the ‘BS’ in BS6 stands for ‘Bharat Stage’ which signifies the emission regulation standards. The 6 is what we all know. The higher the number gets, the harder the Bharat Stage emission norms. Which eventually means it becomes trickier (and costlier) for automakers to meet them.

Indian BS norms are based on European emission norms. Which, for example, are referred to in a similar manner as ‘Euro 4’ and ‘Euro 6’. These norms are followed by all automakers across the world.

In simple words, Bharat Stage emission norms are largely similar to the European emission norms followed globally.

In 2016, the government decided to skip Bs5 in favour of devising a more strict standard to check rising pollution from vehicle exhausts. After much contemplation and extensions, it was decided that the final deadline for the execution of BS6 norms would be April 2020. www.rycabz.com

How is BS6 different from BS4?

The new emission standard will require both automobile manufacturers as well as oil marketing companies to modify their respective products. For optimal results, BS6-compliant engines will have to run on BS6 fuel, as new-generation engines running on lower-quality fuel will emit a quantum of toxic gases comparable to that generated by BS4 engines. Moreover, running BS6-compliant vehicles on BS4 fuel could be harmful to their engines. Indian oil companies have already established a supply chain for BS6-grade petrol and diesel, with distribution expanded to most filling stations in selected cities like New Delhi And other metro cities. www.rycabz.com

One of the biggest differences between BS6 and the BS4 is that the former contains 5 times lesser Sulfur content (10 parts/million) as compared to BS4 (50 ppm). Oxides of nitrogen (NOx), produced as a result of combustion, will be brought down by 70% for diesel, and 25% for petrol engines. Another significant change will be the presence of OBD (On-board Diagnostics) and RDE (Real Driving Emission) on all vehicles, enabling real-time tracking of emissions. Diesel motors will include DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technologies. www.rycabz.com

How will it affect customers?

With BS6 fuel already available in many cities, owners of older generation cars can opt for it at filling stations. This can give mixed results. There is a direct relationship between a fuel’s Sulphur content and its emission level, lower Sulphur content results into cleaner combustion. Petrol, which has lower Sulphur content, emits less carbon monoxide, NOx and other toxic hydrocarbons. BS6 diesel will release less particulate matter (PM) upon combustion. Studies suggest that a BS4 compliant diesel vehicle running on BS6 fuel could cut down PM emissions in half.

The other way around, a reduction in Sulphur content can lower the energy content of the fuel, bringing down the fuel efficiency, however marginally. Ultra-low Sulphur diesel (ULSD) could also exhibit reduced lubricity, and readiness to burn – a metric measured in cetane number. The increased cost of refining could result in the inflation of fuel price at fuel stations. With most oil companies started investing to upgrade their refineries.

How will it affect manufacturers?

While the transition to cleaner fuels will help bring down harmful pollutants, car-makers will have to spend heavily to develop BS6-compliant engines for their existing product line. The high investment which this entails has deterred many manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki from developing diesel engines compliant with the new norms. Maruti Suzuki announced that it will phase out diesel cars from its lineup by April 2020. With the deadline looming large over the horizon, prospective buyers are also shying away from diesel models of popular cars, adding to the unsold inventory pile of manufacturers.

The auto industry, which is witnessing a slowdown, has to do away with its stock of BS4 vehicles before the Supreme Court-mandated deadline of April 2020. Many manufacturers have indulged in heavy discounting, while simultaneously investing in building BS6 fuel compatible engines. Analysts predict the prices to increase by 10 per cent, with carmakers passing on higher manufacturing costs to customers.

Can BS4 cars run on BS6 fuel?

Petrol cars owner has little to worry about compliance as there is very little difference between BS4 and BS6 fuels. However, the same isn’t the case with diesel vehicles. The BS4 diesel has 5 times the sulphur content (50ppm) as compared to BS6 (10ppm). A diesel engine employs an injector to ionize fuel for combustion. The sulphur acts as a lubricant for diesel injectors. The use of BS6 diesel in older generation BS4 cars will cause the injector to wear out prematurely as low Sulphur in the fuel will lead to less lubrication.

BS6 cars run on BS4 fuel?

For petrol cars, the effect will be minimal. However, for diesel cars, using BS4 fuel in a BS6 car can cause many issues, some of which could have a burden on your finances. BS6 compliant diesel engines include an electronic unit like the Diesel Particulate Filter, and technologies like Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), which can be adversely impacted by high sulphur content in fuel. Higher sulphur content will increase emissions and also clog the DPF,

Cars with BS6 compliant engines in India

  • Maruti Alto (Rs 2.94 lakh and Rs 4.15 lakh)
  • Jeep Compass Trailhawk (Rs 26.80 lakh to Rs 27.60 lakh)
  • Maruti S-Presso (Rs 3.69 lakh to Rs 4.91 lakh)
  • Kia Seltos (Rs 9.69 lakh to Rs 16.99 lakh)
  • Maruti Swift (Rs 5.14 lakh to Rs 8.89 lakh),
  • Toyota Glanza (Rs 7.22 lakh to Rs 8.90 lakh)
  • Maruti Dzire (Rs 5.83 lakh to Rs 9.58 lakh)
  • Hyundai Grand i10 Nios (Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7.14 lakh)
  • Maruti WagonR 1.2 (Rs 5.10 lakh to Rs 5.91 lakh)
  • Maruti Baleno (Rs 5.58 lakh to Rs 8.90 lakh)
  • Hyundai Elantra (Rs 15.89 lakh to Rs 20.39 lakh)
  • Maruti Ertiga (Rs 7.55 lakh to Rs 10.06 lakh)