Kia latest to join small-car CAFE-III row, writes to PMO

Raising concerns

- DEEPAK PATEL

After JSW MG Motor and Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV), Kia has now approached the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) against the proposed special concession for petrol cars weighing less than 909 kg in the upcoming Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency-3 (CAFE-III) emission norms, sources told Business Standard.

The carmaker wrote to the PMO last week, shortly after similar representations were made by JSW MG and TMPV.

Kia told the PMO that creating a special subcategory of small petrol cars based on vehicle weight would dilute the core purpose of the CAFE framework. The framework is to promote green technologies like electric vehicles (EVs) and ensure a sustained reduction in a carmaker's fleetwide carbon dioxide emissions over time.

Kia also backed concerns raised earlier by JSW MG and Tata Motors, saying the proposed weight threshold would create an uneven playing field.