With the cost of treating diseases borne from air pollution as high as 3% of our country’s GDP, it is vital that we do everything possible to curb air pollution. Keeping this in mind, the Government of India constituted the Bharat Stage Emission Standards (BSES) to reduce vehicle emissions. The Central Pollution Control Board establishes the norms and standards under the Ministry of Environment & Forests and Climate Change. The primary purpose of these laws is to place limits and define pollutants emitted from an internal combustion engine. 

While compliance with these rules is mandatory, many people do not know the exact logistics behind these new laws. That being said, here are five things you probably did not know about the BSES standards –

1. The Origin

The BS emission standards were initially inspired by European emission regulations/norms, commonly known as Euro 2, Euro 3, etc. The laws stated that all vehicles manufactured after the introduction of each standard had to be compliant with the standards (two and four-wheelers). The law extended to other stages in the vehicle-buying process as well. For instance, vehicle registering authorities refrained from registering a vehicle that did not comply with the existing standards.

2. The Indian Version

The standards were introduced in India in 2000 as the Bharat Stage I (BSI) norms. This was followed by the BS-II, BS-III, and so on. However, it was not until the BS-IV was introduced in 2017 that the emission standards were brought on par with the global emission standards. With this, the BS-IV allowed for 50 parts per million sulphur content.

3. The Skipped Standard

With BS-IV in circulation, chronologically speaking, the next standard to be adopted should have been the BS-V. However, the Indian Government decided to skip this standard, and in its place, introduce BS-VI instead, effective from 1st April 2020. This measure was taken to create a more stringent and globally compliant emission standard owing to the increasing vehicular pollution. The change was a welcome one by many national and international authorities.

4. The New Standard

BS-VI allows only 10 parts per million of sulphur content and is hence, the most environment-friendly standard yet. The new norm will also lead to other changes such as- nitrogen oxides will be brought down by 25% in petrol engines and 75% in diesel engines. Another landmark change will be the inclusion of OnBoard Diagnostics (OBD) and Real Driving Emission (RDE) on all vehicles to track the real-time emissions.

New Delhi is the first city to be selling BS-VI compliant fuel at major fuel-pumps.

5. The Implication

The primary impact of the new BS-VI norms will mostly fall on manufacturers as they will need to develop and launch vehicle models that are compliant with these standards. The general public will continue to get BS-IV compliant fuel for a few years to come. However, those who choose to switch sooner will be taking a big step towards a more sustainable environment for everyone.

While this change in norms could drive up costs of vehicles, in the long run, it could prove to be more cost-friendly when you consider the larger picture. With this growing awareness in mind, MG Motor has introduced the new BS-VI compliant MG Hector to the Indian market. With over 25 safety features, dual-clutch automatic transmission, personalised accessories and a 48V battery that improves fuel economy by 12%, the MG Hector is a smart car that understands you and your evolving needs. Book a test drive today to change your every day driving experience!