Motorised vehicles that run on petrol or diesel emit harmful substances into the air. Passenger cars alone produce over 3 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions globally. To get the air pollution level down in India, the Government introduced the Bharat Stage Emission Standards (BSES). Read on to know more.

What is Bharat Stage Emission Standard?

India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) introduced the Bharat Stage Emission Standards to keep an eye on the air pollutants released from car engines. The first Bharat Stage (BS) emission norms were brought into effect in the year 2000, followed by BS–II in 2005 and BS–III in 2010. The more stringent BS–IV norms were enforced in 2017. The Government skipped BS V and enforced BS–VI since 1st April 2020. Let us understand how BS–IV norms differ from BS–VI norms.

Difference between BS-IV and BS-VI Emission Norms

• The BS–VI norms include Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) to keep an eye on the emission levels of BS–VI vehicles. SCR and DPS were not a part of BS–IV emission norms.

• Real Driving Emission (RDE) introduced in BS–VI vehicles will monitor the emissions of pollutants such as Nitrogen Oxides, while you drive the car. The system measures the emissions in real–time as opposed to laboratory tests. BS–VI vehicles also come with On–board Diagnostics (OD) system that regulates and tracks a vehicle’s performance. Both RDE and OD were not implemented in BS–IV.

• Sulphur, a pollutant, which is necessary for lubricating the car’s engine. BS–VI fuel will contain a lower percentage of sulphur than BS–IV fuel. However, the low sulphur in BS–VI is compensated with additives acting as lubricating agents.

• BS–VI diesel vehicles cannot run on BS–IV fuel, and BS–IV vehicles cannot run on BS–VI vehicles since doing so will lead to even higher emissions than intended. Petrol–powered BS–IV vehicles, on the other hand, can run on BS–VI fuel.

• The cause of acid rains is nitrogen dioxide NO2, a combination of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide. BS–VI reduced the emission of hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides to 0.16 g/km from 0.18 g/km in petrol–powered vehicles. Diesel vehicles saw a more significant change, from 0.30 g/km to 0.17 g/km. The nitrogen oxide levels have been reduced to 70% for diesel and 25% for petrol.

• Particulate matter (PM) are microscopic pollutants that, more often than not, get inhaled. BS–VI norms got the number down to 0.0045 g/km from the previous 0.025 g/km in diesel vehicles. Also, the sulphur content went from 50 parts–per million (PPM) to 10 PPM.

• Nitrous oxide is an ozone–depleting pollutant found in diesel vehicles. BS–IV vehicles were allowed emission of 0.25 g/km, reduced to 0.06 g/km in BS–VI vehicles.

Apart from ensuring that your vehicle is BS–VI emission norm compliant, you must also have all the mandatory documents of your vehicle such as PUC certificate, car insurance, etc in place. A comprehensive car insurance policy can secure your finances in case of damage to your vehicle.

Disclaimer: The above information is indicative in nature. For more details on the risk factor, terms and conditions, please refer to the Sales Brochure and Policy Wordings carefully before concluding a sale.