Start-stop tech could soon cut your fuel bill: here’s India’s new plan

India’s car buyers could soon get more fuel-efficient vehicles without carmakers switching entirely to electric power, after the power ministry proposed rewarding a set of fuel-saving technologies under draft rules.

The draft, released for stakeholder consultation under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)-III regulations, lets manufacturers claim compliance credit for fitting features such as automatic start-stop systems, tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) and regenerative braking, instead of relying solely on electrification to meet fuel-efficiency norms.

Other technologies on the list include six-speed or higher transmissions, high-efficiency alternators, LED exterior lighting, advanced glazing, electric water pumps and solar-reflective paint. Some of these features are currently offered by only a handful of manufacturers.

Under the draft, each approved technology earns a benefit equal to 1 gram of CO2 per kilometre, or 0.0422 litres per 100 km of fuel consumption, measured under the Modified Indian Driving Cycle (MIDC). Manufacturers can combine benefits across multiple technologies, though the total is capped at 9 grams of CO2 per kilometre, equivalent to 0.3795 litres per 100 km.

Until now, manufacturers have largely met India’s fuel-efficiency targets by improving engine efficiency or expanding their electric and hybrid vehicle lineups. The new framework means features long sold as convenience or premium extras could double as regulatory compliance tools.

The technologies are already available on several premium and mid-segment models, and the incentive is expected to push manufacturers to fit them more widely across mass-market vehicles as a low-cost route to improving fleet-average fuel economy. The draft also builds in compliance incentives tied to renewable fuels, strengthening the case for flex-fuel vehicles.

Wikimedia Commons/by Rameshng