Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms

News: The center has discovered that eight carmakers, including Hyundai, Kia, Mahindra, and Honda, had fleet emissions above the allowed limit in the 2022-23 financial year. This could lead to penalties for violating CAFE norms.

About Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) norms

1. Aim– Their goal is to improve vehicle fuel efficiency by reducing CO₂ emissions, achieving both lower oil dependency and better pollution control.

2. Applicability-These norms apply to petrol, diesel, LPG, CNG, hybrid, and electric passenger vehicles with a gross weight under 3,500 kg.

3. Launch in India– CAFE norms were first notified by the Government in 2017, under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001.

Note– Corporate Average refers to sales-volume weighted average for every auto manufacturer.

4. Implementation-The standards were introduced in two phases: Stage I began in 2017–18 with a CO₂ limit of 130 g/km until 2022, and Stage II started in 2022–23 with a CO₂ limit of 113 g/km.

5. Key difference between CAFE and BS VI– CAFE primarily targets CO₂ emissions, while BS VI addresses overall emissions, including NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) and SOx (Sulphur Oxides).

About BS Norms

1. Bharat stage (BS) emission standards are laid down by the government to regulate the output of air pollutants from internal combustion engine and spark-ignition engine equipment, including motor vehicles.

2. These standards are established by the Central Pollution Control Board under the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

3. The BS regulations are based on the European emission standards.