Norms of BS6 & Its Impact on the Two-wheeler Industry

What is the BS6 Emission Standard?

BS6 stands for Bharat Stage 6. It is an advanced gas emission standard equivalent to EURO 6 norms that are applied in European nations. This emission norm is made mandatory for vehicles after seeing a constant rise in pollution. The objective of this emission norm is to reduce the harmful gas emitted by motor vehicles.

Effect of BS6 on Two-wheeler Manufacturers

The transition from BS4 to BS6 has changed the two-wheeler engine also. After the introduction of BS6, the two-wheeler manufacturers changed the calibration and combustion of the engine. Moreover, they improved the fuel injection and cylinder pressures for the treatment of NOx and PM.

To comply with the BS6 norms, bike manufacturers introduced a better fuel injection system in India. After this, the carbon emission in two-wheeler petrol engines has decreased although the BS6 engines are less powerful but more fuel efficient.

Does it Affect the On-road Price of Two-wheelers?

When the government made it mandatory for the manufacturers to follow the BS6 norms, they modified the engine that emits lesser harmful gases on emission. Moreover, it stopped them from using affordable carburetors and replaced them with expensive fuel injection for their two-wheeler engines. This made the on-road price go up a notch by 10-15 percent.As we have mentioned the carburetor and fuel injection system, let's understand the difference between them.

Carburetor & Fuel Injection System

The carburetor helps in the easy delivery of fuel & air to the combustion engine for internal combustion.

So, the difference between a carburetor and a fuel injection system is that the injection system gets the air and fuel mixture to enter the combustion chamber with the help of electronics and sensors and not through mechanical parts that a carburetor does.

Impact on Two-wheeler Manufacturers

To comply with the compulsory requirement of the BS6, the bike manufacturers have to increase their investment as they have to use fuel injection systems in their bikes which are costlier than the carburetors.

Many manufacturers have to suffer huge losses as the bike and cars with BS4 engines could not be sold after the given date. This made these companies pull out their capacity expansion plan as the demand decreased in the coming days due to the rise in the price of the vehicles. They could not launch new products which were made following the BS4 norms.

Effects on Demand for Two-wheelers

Since there was an increment in the prices of two-wheelers by up to 10-15%, there was a fall in the sale graph of the two-wheeler manufacturing companies after the introduction of BS6. Moreover, this made a sharp hike in two wheeler insurance premiums.

What's Next?

The evolution of emission norms from BS4 to BS6 has made significant changes in the two-wheeler manufacturing companies in India. After several COVID-19 shutdowns, the industry started to recover in 2022.

With that saying, the two-wheeler industry has started working tirelessly to produce different models of new-age electric vehicles. Moreover, the retail sales of electric two-wheelers have been consistently rising since May 2022. If you are planning to buy your dream bike, this is the right time. Ensure that you purchase the right bike insurance policy along with it.

Final Words

BS6 norms are made mandatory for our safety only. Since pollution is one of the biggest problems in our country, the government needed to bring out norms that can help in reducing pollution. Also, just like the BS6 is for our benefit, two-wheeler insurance plays the same role as it provides financial coverage to the two-wheeler owner. You can purchase the bike insurance policy online from Policybazaar.com and get the right deal.