New Delhi, Oct. 14 -- The government has proposed introducing Bharat Stage VII (BS-VII) emission standards for passenger cars from April 1, 2029, with stricter pollution limits, real-world emission testing and battery durability requirements forming part of a phased regulatory framework extending to 2035.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a draft notification proposing amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The proposed standards would initially cover category M1 vehicles, primarily passenger cars, manufactured from April 2029. The ministry has invited public comments on the draft for 30 days before finalising the amendments. India currently follows Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) standards, implemented nationwide in April 2020. The proposed BS-VII framework would introduce tighter controls on exhaust pollution while expanding regulation to non-exhaust emissions, including particles released by braking and tyre wear.
The first phase, scheduled for April 1, 2029, would introduce new exhaust-emission limits alongside requirements for evaporative emissions, fuel consumption, electric energy consumption and battery durability. The standards would cover petrol, diesel, compressed natural gas, ethanol-blended fuels, hydrogen, methanol and hybrid technologies, with applicable provisions for electric vehicles.
For passenger vehicles, the draft proposes a carbon monoxide limit of 1,000 milligrams per kilometre for petrol-type engines and 500 mg per km for diesel engines. Nitrogen oxide limits would be 60 mg per km for petrol-type engines and 80 mg per km for diesel engines. Particulate emissions would be capped at 4.5 mg per km for both categories.
Manufacturers would also have to demonstrate compliance under actual driving conditions, rather than relying solely on laboratory tests. From April 1, 2030, type approval would include on-road emission testing using portable measurement systems, with a conformity factor of 1.0 for nitrogen oxides and particle numbers.
Vehicles would require on-board diagnostic and monitoring systems capable of detecting emissions at least 2.5 times the prescribed limit. Systems would also monitor fuel and electric energy consumption. Fuel-consumption data would have to be accessible from April 2030, while monitoring data would become accessible from April 2032, including through over-the-air technology.
The second phase, beginning April 1, 2031, would address brake-particle emissions and tyre abrasion. The proposed brake-particle limit is 3 mg per km for pure electric vehicles and 7 mg per km for hybrids, fuel-cell vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles. From April 2035, a common limit of 3 mg per km would apply across powertrain technologies. Tyre-abrasion limits for C1 tyres would also take effect in 2031, with specific thresholds to be notified separately.
The draft introduces battery performance requirements for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Batteries must retain at least 75 per cent of their performance for five years or 100,000 km, and at least 67 per cent for eight years or 160,000 km, whichever comes first.
Emission compliance would have to be maintained for 160,000 km or eight years, with an additional lifetime period extending to 200,000 km or 10 years.
The proposed rules also envisage an Environmental Vehicle Passport providing buyers with information on pollutant emissions, fuel consumption and battery health. Petrol and diesel vehicles equipped with geofencing technology could qualify for approval as BS-VII-G vehicles. Manufacturers would also have to declare and label compatibility with ethanol blends exceeding E20.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.