Post-April 2020, all vehicles sold in India must adhere to the Bharat Stage 6 emission regulations. The new regulations will be applicable on two-wheelers as well as four-wheelers. We are sure that currently, you must be having a lot of questions regarding BS6 cars in India. As in, how are they different from the BS4 vehicles that are currently on sale in India? Or will there be a drop in fuel efficiency when a BS4 engine is upgraded to meet BS6 emission regulations? What about the cost, will they go up. Or something as simple as, can BS6 cars run on BS4 fuel or not? In this report, we will try to answer all the top queries and confusions related to BS6 cars in India. Read along!
What is the difference between BS6 and BS4 fuel?
The BS6 petrol and BS6 diesel differ from their respective BS4 counterparts differently. For instance, BS6 petrol, in comparison to BS4 petrol produces 60 mg/km of NOx (Nitrogen Oxide) instead of 80 mg/km found in the later. With the help of this, the BS6 grade petrol is rated 25 per cent cleaner than the BS4 grade petrol. On the other hand, BS6 grade diesel produces 82 per cent less NOx in comparison to the BS4 grade diesel. Not only this, but the former also boasts of 68 per cent less Particulate Matter (PM) and 43 per cent less Hydrocarbon (HC) emissions.
Watch our video explaining BS4 and BS6 differences here:
Can a BS6 car run on BS4 fuel?
Now, this has been a topic of debate. Some manufacturers say that it is ok to run a BS6 car on BS4 fuel. However, some are of the view that doing the same will result in accelerated wear of the engine components. Running a BS6 petrol car, on a BS4 grade fuel will not be much of an issue. However, running a BS6 diesel car, on BS4 fuel could hamper the engine’s performance, fuel-efficiency and result in increased emissions.
Can a BS4 car run on BS6 fuel?
Running a BS4 petrol car, on BS6 grade fuel, will not be of any concern as the two fuels are relatively similar. However, BS6 grade diesel has a significantly low amount of Sulphur content, which is used as a lubricant. Using BS4 grade diesel in a BS6 car will result in accelerated wear of the engine fuel injectors over a long period of time.
Is BS6 fuel more expensive than BS4 fuel?
At the moment, only select cities in India, which includes Delhi, has started retailing BS6 grade fuel in the country. The Government has stated that it plans to make the upgraded fuel available across India well ahead of the April 2020 deadline. So far, the prices of the BS6 grade fuel, be it diesel or petrol, haven’t increased in comparison to the BS4 fuel.
How many BS6 cars are currently on sale in India?
Currently, Maruti Suzuki has the highest number of BS6 cars on sale in India. The list includes 7 models, namely the WagonR, Swift, Dzire, Baleno, Alto 800, Ertiga and XL6. However, Maruti has only introduced Bs6 iterations o=only of the petrol derivatives of the aforementioned models. Other than this, the Kia Motors has also launched its first product in India i.e. the Seltos in BS6 configuration only. Jeep’s latest offering, the Compass Trailhawk also comes with a BS6 compliant engine. Mercedes Benz’s BS6 portfolio in India includes models such as the E-Class, the S-Class and the V-Class.
Are BS6 cars are considerably expensive than their BS4 counterparts?
Since BS6 cars, be it petrol or diesel, use sophisticated and advanced technology, the prices of the respective Bs6 complaint vehicles, it more than the BS4 counterparts. We have seen that on an average, the prices of BS6 compliant two-wheelers have increased by a margin of 10-15 per cent. In the case of BS6 petrol, costs increase by 2-3 per cent, whereas in the case of BS6 diesel vehicles, prices go up on an average of 8-9 per cent.
