Indifferent strokes
THE Indian automobile industry seems to be following in the footsteps of two-wheeler manufactures in Asian countries that have switched over to more eco-friendly machines. But how eco-friendly is this move? Bajaj Auto Ltd, the Indian two-wheeler giant, recently unveiled its new 150 cc, nine-horsepower (HP), four-stroke petrol-driven scooter, christened "Legend". Currently being marketed as the world"s first four-stroke scooter, Legend, claims Bajaj, has been designed in compliance with the strict emission standards prescribed for the next century. "It is an eco-friendly vehicle," said Manjeet Kalra, manager (operations) at Bajaj"s Delhi office, refusing to give any further details of the new vehicle"s emission levels, or a comparison with the company"s earlier 7.5-HP, two-stroke models.
Two-wheelers, running mostly on two-stroke engines, have been more than an environmental nightmare in India. Thanks to their inefficient engine design, they have been the central cause of vehicular air pollution. About 25 per cent of the air-fuel mix that goes into a two-stroke engine for combustion remains unburned and goes out with the exhaust. Result: high emissions of hydrocarbon (HC). Further, incomplete combustion of fuel in these engines also lead to carbon monoxide (CO) pollution. In India, two-wheelers comprise as much as 65 per cent of total vehicular population and account for 60 per cent of total petrol consumption, according to studies conducted by the Indian Institute of Petroleum. While vehicular pollution comprises 50 per cent to 70 per cent of the total urban air pollution in the country, two-wheelers alone are responsible for 70 per cent and 48 per cent of the total nc and co emissions respectively. Will the new scooter make a difference? "Our four-stroke engine meets the 2000 norms much before these are coming into effect," says N V lyer, general manager (engineering), Bajaj Auto Ltd, Pune. "Legend has been developed by an in-house research and development team," he informs, lyer says the company does not want to disclose the particulars of the scooter before the launch in view of the competition.
As per the 2000 norms, the prescribed standards for HC and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) for petrol-driven two-wheelers are 2.0 gramme per kilometre (gm/km). However, the emission standards of HC and NOx for petrol-driven passenger cars running on four-stroke engines is less than half of that for two-wheelers; 0.97 gm/km. co levels for two-wheelers and cars will be 2.00 gm/km and 2.72 gm/km respectively. Considering their smaller engine size, the CO standard set for scooters is not at all stringent, environmentalists argue.
As of now, there are no separate norms for four-stroke two-wheelers in India. The government is yet to come out with emission norms for these vehicles. Environmentalists point out that most Asian nations have emission norms for four-stroke two-wheelers, and question their absence in India. S Dutta, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) expert on vehicular pollution, says, "We have not been contemplating specifying separate standards for the four-stroke two-wheelers as of now.
The 2000 norms have been dictated and if need arises, say in the year 2005, to have even more stringent norms, we will definitely formulate them." The norms which have been laid down for the two-wheelers are "very stringent", he adds.
The Union Budget of this financial year permits tax exemption to two-wheeler manufacturers which meet the 2000 emission norms before that date. If the company is hoping to benefit from this provision by introducing Legend, then it must discard commercial secrecy and clearly demonstrate how the new model will be less polluting than the two-stroke models.
| Not beyond this... Mass emission standards for petrol vehicles (in gramme per kilometre) | ||||||
| Category of vehicles | CO | HC | HC+NOx | |||
| gm/km | gm/km | gm/km | ||||
| 1991 | 1996 | 2000 | 1991 | 1996 | 2000 | |
| Passenger cars | 14.3 to 27.1 | 8.68 to 12.4 | 2.72 | 2 to 2.9 | 3 to 4.36 | 0.97 |
| Two- wheelers | 15 to 35 | 4.5 | 2.0 | 10 to 12 | 3.6 | 2.0 |
| Three- wheelers | 40.0 | 6.8 | 4.0 | 15.0 | 5.3 | 2.0 |