Carmakers to DENR: Stick to 2016 fuel standards deadline

Rappler.com

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Carmakers to DENR: Stick to 2016 fuel standards deadline
The government's announcement moving up the deadline for cleaner fuel is putting automakers in a dilemma

MANILA, Philippines – The government’s plan to accelerate the adoption of Euro IV standards disrupts the automotive industry’s plans to introduce new models, Froilan Dytianquin, vice president of marketing services for Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corporation, said on Thursday, March 19.

While newly-built cars would definitely be Euro IV compliant, automotive companies cannot decide whether or not they should bring in current models whose engines are designed to run on the current Euro II standards, he explained.

Vehicles with engines designed for Euro IV fuel standards cannot run on fuels meeting Euro II standards because the higher sulfur content of Euro II engines would destroy the vehicles’ engine, Dytianquin said.

“It’s complicated, there are so many implications on the preparation. It takes time to prepare importing the cars,” he said.

In 2010, The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) passed an administrative order setting January 2016 as the deadline for all vehicles to comply with Euro IV standards, from the current Euro II standards, to improve air quality.

Fuels that meet Euro II standards have 500 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur content, while fuels meeting Euro IV standards will only have 50 parts ppm.

Stick to 2016

Last September however, the DENR announced plans to move up the deadline to June 2015, although the implementing guidelines of the administrative order have yet to be finalized.

“The automotive industry’s position is to keep the January 2016 deadline because we need the fuel to run our Euro IV vehicles. Some of the major oil players cannot yet introduce the Euro IV fuels,” Dytianquin said.

An existing agreement with the DENR allows automotive companies to offer currently offered models complying with EURO II standards until 2017.

After that, they will have to offer versions complying with Euro IV standards. –Rappler.com

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