The long awaited system of rating the vehicles on the basis of fuel efficiency has been mooted by the government. The rating will be publicized through a label pasted on the windshield of the cars which will enable the buyers to judge the worth of buying. Though not made mandatory as of now, the manufacturers are expected to be honest in revealing the rating stickers at least for a year now. The labeling is done to weigh the credential of that particular car in addition to other cars’ performance.
The cars are to be categorized on the basis of their weight – the best car will be awarded with 5 stars and the descending numbering for the inferior performance of the cars. From the current analysis it is estimated that it will take some time for cars to fetch the 5 star rating, implying that the present models come under below that category. The hiccup in the labelling, after the initiative from the Prime Minister’s Office in April 2009, came from two sources – the ministry of surface transport and the auto industry. The auto makers raise too many complex questions over the labeling on fuel efficiency and the turf battle with the Ministry is still on.
The standards for labeling has not yet been finalized – the mileage aspect or the emission of CO2 however, in association with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, the transport ministry has suggested the emission of CO2 as the criterion for labeling. But, the BEE had the grace of Ministry of Power and the PMO, to insist that the focus should be made on the mileage aspect, to satisfy the fuel efficiency and economy of fuel import. The reason cited for this is that the pricing of fuel is of top priority in a country where 2 million cars find their entry every year.
Quite contrary to this, the surface transport ministry constituted a committee which came out with CO2 emission aspect. There are indications that the standards framed were so lax. By this, the cars running in 2017 could find their condition safe, in spite of being worse, compare to that of 2007. In the tussle, the BEE and the power ministry kept aloof from the scene indicating their unwillingness to proceed further. Notwithstanding the grave situation, the government has initiated the move.
The government believes that once the scheme gets off, the response would start flourishing. By 2012, it is believed, 15-20% cars of the current models would meet the norm so that 30% would get into the 5star category, 15% under 4 star category and another 30% would remain under 2 star category. The government’s move is seen as a boost for the foreign exchange savings for imported oils and direct benefit to the consumers. The volume of cars in 2005 was 49 million which is expected to rise to 373 million in 2035.