Bureau of Energy Efficiency to introduce star rating for cars

BEE to create confusion?

ARAI introduced standardised fuel efficiency figures for cars in India and this has become the industry norm with every company displaying the fuel efficiency rating in their brochures but the Bureau of Energy Efficiency is set to introduce its own set of fuel efficiency based ratings. So what does this mean? Read on to find out.

While the BEE is excited about its ambitious plan, the Automotive Industry is totally unhappy about the new standards. What is the reason?

You see, certification does not come cheap and BEE will charge Rs 2000 per vehicle for getting the star ratings. It does not end here though, they have to be renewed every year at Rs 1500. Adding fuel to fire is the requirement for automobile makers to get every variant certified. Adding all this up adds Rs 50 crore as expenditure to the Automobile industry. Oh and lets not forget Rs 1000 that they charge for assessing the performance of engines. The cars have to be certified before their commercial launch with ratings given on a scale of 5 stars.

Dilip Chenoy, director general, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers Association (SIAM), said: “We do not know how the model goes as far as long-term vision goes. This aspect has not been specified by BEE… there is no long-term plan laid out…”

Many, including the auto industry feel that this is a revenue generating gimmick by BEE and that the present standards certified by ARAI would suffice. The ministry of roads and transport is also putting pressure on the auto makers to put a efficiency grid in place but did they forget that there already is one? Lets hope BEE and ARAI reach an agreement and set a single FE standard that would be followed by everybody, otherwise this would create more confusion in the minds of buyers.

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