​Reasons Why BS-IV Vehicles Will be Expensive

BS-IV emission norms are set to kick in from April 1, 2017 in India. These new norms will simply make buying trucks not complying with BS-IV norms, illegal in the country. And given the rising levels of pollution in the country, the move is well justified too. The fact that heavy trucks consume majority of fuel in the commercial vehicles segment and are also the prime reasons behind pollution, add to the list of advantages attached to the decision.

But as they say 'all good things come at a price', so will the BS-IV norm compliant trucks. Experts have already hinted towards the sharp rise in BS-IV compliant truck prices, and mandatory AC in trucks will just add on to the overall burden.

A truck on an average, costs nothing less than INR 10 lakh, and a straight 10-12 percent increase will result in prices going up by at least a lakh of rupees.

But what reasons contribute in increased costs of BS-IV trucks in India? Of course, the technology used will itself be expensive but there is more than just technological advancements that will result in increased prices. We researched and found out some of them. Here is a list of reasons that make the BS-IV expensive in India.

AdBlue

Though the name sounds like a movie or advertisement production house, it definitely does not mean that. Adblue stands for a form of urea solution which turns the harmful Nitrogen Oxide emitted by diesel engines into harmless forms of nitrogen and steam.

Adblue is an expensive urea solution and will be required in high quantities for trucks to be able to comply with BS-IV guidelines. Hence, the increased cost of using Adblue will be a reason automatically leading to increased BS-IV truck prices.

Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) & Urea Dosing System

A majority of trucks will need to switch to SCR for low emissions. SCR simply means Selective Catalytic Reduction. It is required to convert the harmful nitrogen oxide into harmless nitrogen, water and steam.

Vehicles will also require Urea Dosing Systems to ensure only precise amount of urea and ammonia mix with the exhaust gas. The system is also responsible for apt SCR reactions that in a way are responsible for the gases exhausted by the truck. CV makers will also integrate new improved Diesel particulate filters in trucks to be able to make them BS-IV compliant.

These systems come at very high costs. A vehicle powered by such a system incorporating SCR and improved DPF will alone increase the cost of BS-IV trucks by a minimum amount of INR 50,000 to 80,000.

Better Electronic Requirement

BS-IV emission norms will require vehicles to undergo a sea of changes. And requirement of better electronics will be one such big change. The new electronic system will not only be responsible for calculations related to the trucks but will also have to send and warn the driver about possible infringements in the truck. Many of the truck manufacturers may also consider these systems to be able to predict vehicle breakdowns well in advance.

Now we all know, how pricey can gadgets and technology get! The requirement of better electronics will be another reason responsible behind the BS-IV vehicles getting costlier.

On-board Diagnostic System

Ok, we are done with better electronic requirement in BS-IV vehicles. But these electronics would be incomplete without an on-board diagnostic system. The incorporation of a diagnostic system on vehicles will allow drivers to map and repair minor faults electronically. A lot of research and testing will be required before finalizing such systems, which would alone include a lot of money.

These on-board diagnostic systems will add on to the pile of reasons, responsible for making BS-IV trucks and other vehicles expensive.

Improved Drivetrain

In order to shed those extra kilos and return good mileage figures, the BS-IV trucks will require better, lighter and stronger drivetrains. Vehicle manufacturers will have to incorporate better raw materials to make sure new drivetrains help achieve the BS-IV tag.

Using new raw materials will automatically lead to increased costs. The requirement of improved drivetrains will also make BS-IV commercial vehicles expensive.

Servicing Cost

Vehicle servicing, last but not the least, will also add on the cost of buying vehicles. All the advancements mentioned above will require new machinery and some serious service abilities. Both these components will also lead to increased cost of BS-IV vehicles.

Conclusion

The above mentioned incorporations in BS-IV vehicles will be the major contributors in making the new breed of trucks and buses expensive. These will also have a lot of effect on the freight as well as vehicle hiring rates.