Group drafting India’s fuel efficiency norms reach deadlock

A technical committee drafting India’s new fuel efficiency norms has reportedly reached a deadlock. The government is facing resistance from automakers over several items in the proposal, which aims to bring down emissions from motor vehicles by 2% every year. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the power ministry has proposed an implementation date of 2015. Automakers said they would like implementation to be delayed until 2017. Further, the BEE has proposed a mandatory five-star rating system and was pushing for a fuel economy standard of 128 grams/CO2 per kilometer. Local media reported that the auto industry believes this to be too strict and has proposed 142 grams/CO2 per kilometer instead. The government is said to have agreed to 135 grams/CO2 per kilometer, which was rejected by industry representatives, according to media reports. (April 1,2011)