NO GUILT TRIP

Indian companies are not lagging in coming up with green vehicles and environmental-friendly auto technology

The world is concerned about global warming and the burning of fossil fuel that contributes to it. This was pretty evident at the just-concluded 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi where the Nano, Tata8217;s innovative small-sized, small-priced car, drew as much appreciation as opprobrium for its potential to increase greenhouse gas emission. Of course, carbon count is a term that is being increasingly bandied about, but it is pleasing to see that Indian auto companies are not lagging behind in launching greener technologies.

Among the first off the block, Mahindra 038; Mahindra unveiled its eco-friendly Scorpio and Bolero at the Auto Expo, shattering the myth that SUVs and multi-utility vehicles are guzzlers and polluters. The Scorpio now comes as both a diesel-electric hybrid and a biodiesel vehicle, while the Bolero has been fitted to run on biodiesel. The biodiesel variants are now available in the market, the hybrids will hit the roads in 18-24 months. 8220;Alternate power train vehicles, especially hybrid vehicles, are our near-term solution to reducing pollution and fuel consumption,8221; says Pawan Goenka, president, Automotives, about his company, Mahindra8217;s business plans for the future.

The biofuel that the Scorpio and Bolero use is jatropha diesel. The eco-friendly fuel, which emits much lower carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide, is available in small quantities in parts of the country. But isn8217;t that a problem? Dr Arun Jaura, senior vice-president, R038;D and Global Product Development, Mahindras, agrees. But he adds, 8220;Biodiesel may not be available in commercial quantities, but as manufacturers we cannot wait for availability of the fuel to develop a technology that uses it.8221; Till the time jatropha fuel is more readily available, the vehicles can run on normal diesel or other biofuels.

The biodiesel Scorpio has the old 2.6 common rail engine while the hybrid variant runs on the new 2.2 engine which punches out 120 bhp, 5 bhp more than the old engine. 8220;We had to make minimum changes to adapt the common rail engine for biodiesel,8221; says Jaura. 8220;Not only do the alternative engines provide high fuel economy but there also is no dip in performance,8221; he adds.

M038;M has already launched microhybrids that reduce the usage of fuel when the vehicle has to stop and start at a traffic signal. The full hybrid vehicles that will use a rechargeable battery and petrol will come later. Another green vehicle that Mahindras have come up with is the Hy-Alfa, a three-wheeler powered by hydrogen that runs with near zero emissions.

Two-wheeler giant TVS has similar plans. It has come out a petrol-electric hybrid scooter, the TVS Qube. 8220;It will be as fast as the TVS Scooty Peppy and will have a maximum power of 5 PS,8221; says the company spokesperson. TVS has not revealed when the Qube will be launched, but 8220;sooner than the market expects8221; is what the company is saying.

While these launches will play their part in checking pollution, it is the use of diesel as an automotive fuel that is being debated. What is not known is that clean diesel is less polluting than petrol. According to a report of the Automotive Research Association of India, the emission level of the Tata Indigo petrol is higher than that of its diesel variant. No wonder a senior official of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers asks, 8220;If only 17 per cent of passenger cars in Delhi are diesel, how can these be solely responsible for pollution?8221; But he does agree that commercial vehicles8212;which mostly use old diesel engine technology8212;need to upgrade to common rail diesel engines.

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The West has 60.8 per cent diesel vehicles. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in England, 40 per cent of cars in London use diesel. The problem clearly is in the fuel quality, not the technology. In late 8217;90s, Indians moved to mandatory use of unleaded petrol. The same can be done with diesel. As Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said at the Auto Expo, 8220;We should improve diesel norms and quality of the fuel, not ban it.8221;

The SIAM official says, 8220;Steps have been taken to improve the fuel and Rs 6,000 crore has been invested in the process but it takes time.8221; He also recalls, 8220;Prior to 1999, sulphur content in diesel used to be 2500 ppm parts per million. With the implementation of strict emission norms, it came down to 350 ppm under Bharat Stage III regulations.8221; He expects sulphur to reduce to 50 ppm by 2010.

Driving need not be a guilt trip. Clean tech can bring down emissions and India is on the right road.