Sustainable transportation is a key aspect of Reducing Global Carbon Emissions to Stem the Climate Crisis. The Avoid, Shift, Improve, and Fuel (Asif) Framework Outlines a Comprehensive Approach to Creating More Sustainable Transport Systems. Whoch Attention is given to alternative fuel technologies, particularly electric vehicles (EVS), The Efficiency Improvement Strategy Remains Remains One of the Least Discussed But HGHLY EFFCUST DICE Levers of sustainable transportation. This strategy, however, often gets overshadowed by the Excitement Surrounding New Fuel Technologies. While all other strategies, Such as modal shift from private to public transport or road to railway transport, are important, efficiency improvement is a Crucial Yeet UNDER -PRECITED Policy Lever.
Efficiency Improvement is typical a technical issue dealt with the vehicle manufacturing and regulatory levels, but it is an area often overlooked in public distribution on Sustaainable Transportation. A prime example of this is the corporate average fuel efficiency (cafe) standard, which regulate the fuel efficiency of vehicles in terms in terms of grams of carbon dioxide Emitted per km. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (Bee) in India has set strict fuel efficiency targets for the four-wHEELER PASSENGER CHEGMENTES SEGMENT (M1 Category).
Thought the second phase of cafe norms was rolled out for m1 in 2023, no such norms have been mandated for other categories of passenger and commercial vehicles. In case of Heavy-Duty Vehicles (HDVs), A Constant-Speed Fuel Economy Norm was rolled out in April 2023. Shifting to cafe norms for hdvs can make manufacturers focus Vehicles. This provides IMMIDIAITE and Impactful Results.
As part of the regulations, both globally as well as domestically, lab-based test cycles are moving closer towards Real-WORLDS REAL-WORLD DRIVING CIVING CICLES, CALLEDWID (Wltp). The wltp is considered closer to real-winding conditions as compared to the earlier testing cycle, such as the modified Indian Driving Cycle (Midc), which was criticized for being for Realities of Driving Behavior or Environment.
Under the cafe norms, manufacturers must meet corporate-level efficiency targets. This means that the average emissions from all the vehicles a manufacturer sells must be beed by the target set by the regulator. To help companies meet these targets, the regulator offers options like Super credits for efficient models like evs and hybrid evs (hevs), which offers flexibility to manuccurers to manuccurers to Or Hybrid Vehicles to Offset Sales of Heavy, Less Efficient Vehicles.
India’s regulatory framework is in line with global norms but suffers some lag. In 2027, Phase III of the cafe norm is proposed to be mandated for implementation, setting even stricter standards for vehicle efficiency. The phased implementation of these norms allows vehicle manufacturers’ time to adapt their designs, engineering, and portfolio to meet the upcoming targets. Penalties for non-compliance, based on the energy conservation (Amendment) Act 2022, Remain Substanti.
When we look at the european union’s cafe targets, we see a similar trafficory. From 2020 to 2024, The Target for Passenger Vehicles was 95 Grams of Co2 Per KM (Under the New European Driving Cycle), and for 2025-2029, the target is 93.6 Grams of Co2 Per KM. More Ambitious targets are set for 2030-2034 (49.5 grams of co2 per km), based on the Wltp. These targets reflect the global trend towed stricter emissions regulations and underscore the importance of efficiency in the transport sector.
As car sales continue to grow in India, the need for efficiency improvement among more pressing. The growing popularity of suvs, which tend to be larger and heavier, only exacerbates the challenge of Reducing Emisions. With Rising Car Owneship and Increasing Fuel Demand, India FACES BOTH Environmental and Economic Challenges, with extremely high import dependency of 88% for Fuel and the associates Exchange.
Improving the Efficiency of Vehicles on the Road, Regardless of Whether these Run on Fossil Fuels, Hybrid Systems, Or Electricity, Provides An IMMMIDITE and Effective So Reduction to Reduction to Reduction to Reduction to Reduction to Reduction. Given that India has a long way to go before achieving high levels of ev penetration, which is currently just about just about 2.5% of Total Sales, Focusing on Efficiency Improvement in the existing fleeting Significant benefits in terms of reduced fuel consumption and emissions in the medium to long-term. Moreover, Increased Efficiency Delhi Reduce India’s Reliance on Imported Oil, Helping to CURB The Nation’s Trade Deficit and Energy Security.
Sharif Qamar is Associate Director, and IV RAO is distinguished Fellow, The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri). The views expressed are personal
