STRAIGHT DRIVE

The Indian auto industry began the new financial year on a positive note in April 2016. The month of April and May will be also remembered for landmark developments concerning diesel vehicles. With the Central Government claimed to be giving final touches to the vehicle modernisation policy, the Indian auto industry is certain to be chalking out strategies to meet the BS VI emission deadline by 2020. This could either be through EGR or SCR. Most BS IV compliant diesel vehicles do not sport a particulate filter in India as yet. It is certain to be added during the move up to BS VI norms. These are all associated technologies, and at the core is the common-rail injection technology. It is one of the biggest breakthroughs in diesel engine tech ever, and includes a good deal of electronic content and parts machined to finer tolerances. Logically, diesel engines have become quite expensive. They however are not immune to failure. The reason at times are issues related to fuel quality.

A visit to a Renault service station in Mumbai revealed that they receive one or two cases every month due to water in diesel. This is indicated by a warning lamp on the dash, and would signal a damage that could be expensive in terms of cost, and in terms of emission control. Fuel adulteration continues to be a challenge in India. A lab report for a malfunctioning diesel engine is quite often likely to reveal kerosene in diesel. Such a slip in fuel quality kills the very prospect of having cleaner burning engine tech in view of improving the air quality. Such fuel quality slippages are a matter of grave concern. The BS VI emission compliant engines may fail to meet the prescribed norms not because of technology, but because there simply isn’t the quality of fuel available.