Newer vehicles are more polluting

Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) tested vehicles produced in different time period – 1991-96, 1996-2000, post 2000 and post 2005 to assess the trend in total CO2 load from vehicles in Delhi exposed significant increase in the total CO2 emissions load from vehicles.

The analysis found:

• The ARAI data shows higher CO2 emissions from newer cars: – Post-2000 petrol cars, with engine size more than 1,400 cc, emits 143 gm/km of CO2. But post -2005 models of same engine size emit 173 gm/km. Fuel economy drops from 16 km/litre to 13 km per litre. – Diesel car models with engine size less than 1,600 cc of 1996-2000 vintage emit 129 gm/km but comparable post-2005 model emits 149 gm/km. Fuel economy drops from 20 km/litre to 18 km/litre. While SUV models with engine size less than 3,000 cc of 1996-2000 vintage emits 189 gm/km, the post-2000 vintage emits 229 gm/km and post-2005 models emit 256 gm/km. Today one SUV emits equal to two small petrol cars. Estimated fuel economy drops are dramatic – from 14 km/litre in 1996-2000 models to 10 km/litre in post 2005 models.

• Further estimates show total CO2 emissions load from vehicles is increasing in cities like Delhi. Cars and two-wheelers contribute maximum to the total CO2 emission load from vehicles in Delhi – as much as 60 per cent. Only in 5 years, between 2002 and 2007, the CO2 emissions load from cars has increased by 73% and from two wheelers by 61%.

• Public transport buses contribute much less of CO2 load – 20%. But it is important to note buses carry several times more people and consume significantly less fuel per passenger. CSE’s estimate for Delhi’s BRT corridor shows that per capita energy consumption can be 8 times higher in cars than buses.

“Older cars can become more fuel-inefficient and emit more CO2 due to poor maintenance and deterioration. But newer cars, even those produced after 2000 and 2005, showing higher levels of CO2 emissions than the older vintages is unexpected and disturbing”, says Anumita Roychowdhury, in charge of CSE’s Right to Clean Air Campaign. Are car companies increasing weight, power, and performance of cars at the cost of fuel economy? But this evades legal scrutiny as India has not enforced fuel economy standards for vehicles yet.

At the same time explosive increase in personal vehicle numbers in the absence of adequate public transport system, are fuelling the CO2 emissions in Delhi.

Disturbed by the CO2 trends, CSE made efforts to obtain official fuel economy data for car models that are recorded at the time of certification of new vehicles. “But we were appalled to discover that this crucial information is not available even under the Right to Information Act. At a time when the country is going bankrupt on account of crippling crude oil prices, fuel economy data of cars (in km/litre) is held as trade secret,” says Roychowdhury: “But such data are routinely published in other countries to help consumers select fuel efficient vehicles and help governments to set up fuel economy standards.”

The ARAI, which certifies vehicles for emissions and tests fuel consumption of vehicles, replied to the RTI request saying, “numerical value of fuel consumption of each model is of commercial confidence in nature and third party information”.

– from www.evworld.com

Govt should improve public transportation facilities. Also there should be a special tax on advertisement of automobiles. That money could be used for improving public transport.