The air quality in the country’s capital Delhi has been poor for decades and transport is considered one of the major factors of air pollution. The government keeps making new efforts to improve the air of the city, but despite this, it is difficult to control air pollution. It is generally said that vehicles running on compressed natural gas (CNG) spread less pollution. But a new study reveals the exact opposite. If the study is to be believed, CNG vehicles are spreading more pollution than you think.
According to a new study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), despite passing the pollution control (PUC) test, many vehicles plying on Indian roads are emitting more pollution than their emission standards. Gurugram, a city near the capital, also suffers from poor air quality, especially in winters. At the same time, the ever-increasing number of vehicles on the roads is further aggravating this problem.
How the study was done:
The study, part of The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) initiative, was conducted in collaboration with authorities in Delhi and Gurugram. The study used remote sensing technology to measure real-world emissions from vehicles to determine the emissions these vehicles are emitting in the real world. According to the ICCT study, emissions from vehicles on the road are much higher than those recorded in lab tests.
To get better results of this study, it was done for 65 days at 20 different testing spots. Most of the testing points were in Delhi and some in Gurugram. More than 111,000 valid measurements have been captured in this campaign. In which emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOX), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), and ultraviolet smoke emissions, a proxy for particulate matter (PM), etc. were examined. Two-wheelers, three-wheelers, private cars (PCs), taxis, light motor vehicles and buses were included in this test.
What the study says:
The study findings have shown that nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from BS-VI private cars are 81 per cent lower than BS-IV cars. Similarly, BS-VI buses generate 95 per cent less NOx than BS-IV buses. Upgrading to BS-VI is justified for normal vehicles. But emissions from CNG vehicles are becoming a matter of concern.
Question on CNG:
The study also found that CNG-powered vehicles emit high levels of nitrogen oxide (NOx). CNG vehicles are seen as the cleanest fuel. Now this new study has challenged this notion. Commercial vehicles contribute more to pollution than private vehicles. BS-6 CNG taxis and light goods vehicles are emitting 2.4 and 5 times more nitrogen oxide respectively than private vehicles.
It was found that BS-VI CNG vehicles, which include three-wheelers, private cars, taxis and buses, are emitting more nitrogen oxides in the rear world than in lab tests. Class II light goods vehicles were found to be emitting 14.2 times more than their NOx limit in laboratory tests. Therefore, it would not be right to rely only on lab tests to improve air quality.
The number of CNG vehicles is increasing:
CNG vehicles are used for better mileage. In the initial days, the price of CNG was almost half as compared to petrol and diesel. But now the price of CNG is also increasing with the increasing demand. Despite this, the mileage of CNG vehicles is a major reason that attracts customers. In the last few years, the number of CNG vehicles in the country has increased rapidly.
Reducing dependence on petrol and diesel, the country’s largest car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki has the largest CNG vehicle portfolio. The CNG vehicle segment, which was limited to hatchbacks till now, has now expanded to SUVs. On the other hand, CNG vehicles are also increasing in the portfolios of Tata Motors, Hyundai and Toyota.
CNG bike also launched:
The scope of CNG vehicles is constantly increasing. Now it is not limited to only four-wheelers, three-wheelers or big buses. Rather, CNG is also running on two-wheelers. Seeing the inclination of people towards CNG, the country’s leading two-wheeler manufacturer Bajaj Auto has recently launched the world’s first CNG bike Bajaj Freedom. This motorcycle has two fuel tanks of two-liter capacity each. It has the facility of two liters of petrol and two kg of CNG. The starting price of this bike is Rs 95,000 (ex-showroom).