CAFE weight relief unfairly benefits one OEM: JSW MG Motor

Granting special relief to small petrol cars weighing under 909 kg in the upcoming CAFE-3 emission norms will “disproportionately benefit” a single manufacturer, distort “market competition” and run “contrary to the principle of a level playing field”, JSW MG Motor has told Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in a letter.

- DEEPAK PATEL

“As India targets raising average highway speed from 47 km per hour to nearly 85 km per hour by 2032, structurally stronger vehicles become critical. India continues to face more than 168,000 road fatalities annually, over 70 per cent linked to high speeds. All models rated under Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) so far exceed 909 kg, indicating that lighter vehicles may not meet necessary safety thresholds. A relaxation for this weight band can unintentionally weaken safety outcomes,” JSW MG Motor wrote in its letter dated November 21, reviewed by Business Standard.

The company did not respond to request for an immediate comment.

Rahul Bharti, senior executive officer for corporate affairs at Maruti Suzuki, countered that small-car protection in the proposed CAFE norms is both a “scientific requirement” and a “global norm”. “China, the US, South Korea and Japan — all have some form of protection. It is in national interest. Even Europe has a relaxation for smaller cars and is tighter on heavier cars,” he said.