MoRTH Proposes Implementing Fuel Consumption Standards For All Vehicles From 2023

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a new notification proposing making several categories of motor vehicles fall under the ambit of Fuel Consumption Standards from April 2023. The notification, issued on July 1, 2022, proposes amendments to Rule 115 G of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules which will see the inclusion of light, medium and heavy vehicles from several categories. Present norms call for all four wheelers under the M1 category – passenger vehicles (not including quadricycles) seating up to 9 people and with a weight of under 3.5 tonnes – to comply with annual fuel consumption standards.

“The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a notification dated 1st July 2022 , amending Rule 115 G of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules  (CMVR) 1989 , to include compliance with Fuel Consumption Standards ( FCS), for light, medium and heavy duty motor vehicles of various categories,  manufactured in, or imported by, India. The continued compliance to FCS shall be verified as per the procedure of Conformity of Production, outlined in Automotive Industry Standard 149,” the MoRTH said in an official statement.

The draft notification calls for the mandatory constant speed fuel consumption testing for vehicles falling under the M2, M3, N2 and N3 categories which covers various categories of vehicles – aside from Tipper trucks - with a gross vehicle weight of over 3.5 tonnes (3,500kg). The notifications says that all vehicles imported or manufactured in India will be required to be tested to check for compliance with the fuel consumption standards as notified under the Energy Conservation Act.

The Ministry says that the aim of the new notification is to “introduce more fuel efficient vehicles” by widening the applicability of fuel efficiency testing standards. The notification is currently open for comments for all stakeholders up till 30 days from the date of its issue.