{"id":53474,"date":"2025-07-05T10:00:03","date_gmt":"2025-07-05T04:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=53474"},"modified":"2025-07-05T11:28:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-05T05:58:10","slug":"india-urged-to-relax-emission-norms-for-small-cars-in-line-with-global-practices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/india-urged-to-relax-emission-norms-for-small-cars-in-line-with-global-practices\/","title":{"rendered":"India Urged to Relax Emission Norms for Small Cars in Line with Global Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Emission Norms for Small Cars Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">new study by researchers at Nomura suggests that India should reform its <\/span><b>Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to align with global best practices by including protection measures for small cars.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>India\u2019s CAFE Norms<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms are government-mandated standards that require auto manufacturers to meet a fleet-wide average fuel economy target.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s CAFE norms, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">introduced by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) in 2017<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, aim to regulate fuel consumption and CO\u2082 emissions from passenger vehicles under 3,500 kg.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0In India, CAFE norms were introduced in two phases, with the first stage effective from 2017-18 and the second from 2022-23.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These norms apply to vehicles powered by petrol, diesel, LPG, CNG, hybrids, and electric power.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Objective: Lower Emissions and Oil Dependence<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CAFE norms were designed to:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduce oil imports<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cut air pollution<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Promote cleaner vehicles like EVs, CNG cars, and hybrids<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tighter norms were enforced in 2022\u201323, with penalties for non-compliance. Manufacturers were required to achieve:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fuel consumption \u2264 4.78 litres\/100 km<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CO\u2082 emissions \u2264 113 g\/km<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Heavier Cars Get Relaxed Targets<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under India\u2019s CAFE system, heavier vehicles are allowed higher absolute CO\u2082 emissions, making it easier for large SUVs and premium cars to comply.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, smaller, lighter cars face stricter targets, even if their emissions are already low.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Call to Reform India\u2019s Emission Norms for Small Cars<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A recent study by Nomura researchers has urged India to reform its CAFE framework to align with global best practices.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The study recommends incorporating protection mechanisms for small, lightweight cars, similar to what is done in major automobile markets like the US, EU, China, Japan, and Korea.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Current Linear Weight-Based Approach Flawed<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s current CAFE norms follow a linear weight-based system, where lighter vehicles are subject to more stringent CO\u2082 targets.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The study highlights a contradiction: a heavy SUV emitting 130g\/km CO\u2082 (Model A) is compliant, while a small car emitting just 100g\/km (Model B) is non-compliant. T<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This creates a structural bias\u2014penalising small cars with lower emissions, while allowing heavier, more polluting vehicles to meet norms more easily.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Impact on Small Car Market and Decarbonisation<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manufacturers try to reduce emissions by lightweighting, but the CAFE framework assigns even stricter targets to lighter vehicles.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, entry-level small cars\u2014already efficient\u2014struggle to meet their moving goalposts, discouraging further innovation in this segment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lack of regulatory protection has discouraged lightweighting, a critical strategy for decarbonisation.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki have been lobbying for a relaxation in norms for this category.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Global Practices: Relaxed Emission Norms for Small Cars<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researchers highlight how major auto markets adopt flexible emissions frameworks to protect small, fuel-efficient vehicles, unlike India\u2019s linear approach.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>United States: Fixed Targets for Smaller Cars<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The US uses a piecewise linear approach based on vehicle footprint.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For cars below a specific size, fuel economy targets remain fixed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This prevents disproportionately stricter norms as cars get smaller.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>China: Constant Targets Below Weight Threshold<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">China follows a similar strategy:<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For cars below a certain curb weight, fuel consumption targets become constant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This avoids punishing lighter cars with tighter norms.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>South Korea: Constant Targets and Bonus Credits<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For small cars under a defined curb weight, targets stay constant.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manufacturers also receive a 5\u20137g\/km bonus on CAFE scores based on small car sales share.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Japan: Non-Linear Norms to Protect Small Cars<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Japan adopts a non-linear emissions approach by ensuring light cars aren\u2019t disproportionately penalised, encouraging efficient, small vehicle production.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>European Union: Inverted Slope Benefits Small Cars<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Europe has a negative slope (-0.0144) in its CAFE framework.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Larger cars face tighter CO\u2082 limits, while smaller cars enjoy relaxed targets, promoting their use.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Source:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/business\/nomura-study-india-emissions-norms-small-cars-10105961\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IE<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0| <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.financialexpress.com\/auto\/industry\/globally-all-major-countries-shield-small-cars-in-cafe-norms-nomura\/3903333\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FE<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India\u2019s CAFE norms may need reform to protect small cars, aligning with global standards that encourage lightweight, efficient vehicles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":53491,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[1343,60,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-53474","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-emission-norms-for-small-cars","9":"tag-mains-articles","10":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","11":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","12":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53474","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53474"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53474\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53474"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53474"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53474"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}