Clean-Fuel Industry Bodies Accuse CAQM Panel of Bias towards EVs

October 16, 2026

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(Economic Times Energy) Seven industry associations have alleged that their views and data were not adequately considered during a stakeholder consultation on vehicular emissions, and have called for a technology-neutral approach to Delhi-NCR's clean mobility transition. READ MORE

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CAQM expert panel recommends 15-yr plan to phase out petrol, diesel cars in Delhi-NCR by 2040 (Hindustan Times)
Automakers question CAQM’s EV push, highlight negligible pollution from BS-VI CNG cars (Financial Express)
Heard no one, chose EVs? Seven industry bodies hit out at CAQM Panel (India Today)

Excerpt from Hindustan Times: A 15-member expert committee constituted to suggest measures to abate vehicular emissions in Delhi-NCR has suggested phasing out all vehicles running on internal combustion engines (ICE) to zero-tailpipe emission vehicles by 2040, as per a report it submitted to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

The committee put forth electric vehicles as a solution, which will also reduce reliance on oil imports, and proposed timelines for gradual phasing out. It recommended phasing out BS-IV vehicles by 2030, BS-VI two-wheelers by 2035 and BS-VI four-wheelers by 2040.

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It also recommended stopping registration of ICE four-wheelers from 2031. For currently operational vehicles adhering to emission norms below the BS-IV standards, it recommended an immediate exit from Delhi-NCR, in line with the Delhi EV Policy guidelines.

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The report, submitted to CAQM on August 18 and accessed by HT, suggests a similar plan across the Indo-Gangetic plain region, may be considered too, arguing for the need to bring vehicular emissions down to zero for reducing air pollution in the larger air-shed. READ MORE

Excerpt from Financial Express: Carmakers and city gas distributors question CAQM’s mandate phasing out CNG vehicles in Delhi-NCR, citing negligible PM2.5 emissions and calling for technology neutrality.

Carmakers and city gas distributors have questioned CAQM’s push towards electric vehicles (EVs), arguing that phasing out CNG makes little sense when newer CNG cars contribute very little to Delhi-NCR’s annual PM2.5 pollution. A calculation by carmakers, based on CAQM data, estimates that BS-VI CNG cars account for just 0.0001% of the region’s annual PM2.5 pollution.

According to the original equipment manufacturers’ (OEMs) estimates, BS-VI cars account for just 0.004% of Delhi-NCR’s annual PM2.5 pollution, with CNG cars contributing an even smaller share. The calculations use figures from CAQM reports alongside additional industry assumptions and have not been independently validated.

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The calculations draw on findings that transport accounts for 23% of Delhi’s PM2.5 concentrations during winter, while BS-VI vehicles contribute around 7% of particulate matter emissions from the vehicle fleet.

The OEMs argue that the limited contribution of newer, emission-compliant cars to particulate pollution raises questions about the additional air-quality gains from replacing them with EVs. They have also called for comparisons to account for the full lifecycle of EVs, including emissions from electricity generation and vehicle manufacturing, rather than focusing only on tailpipe emissions.

The objections follow an interim report by CAQM’s Expert Committee for Abatement of Vehicular Emission in Delhi-NCR, which recommended a phased transition towards zero-tailpipe-emission vehicles across categories, with targets extending to 2032 for certain vehicle segments.

Separately, the Association of CGD Entities (ACE), which represents city gas distribution companies, has challenged restrictions on new CNG light goods vehicles under CAQM’s Direction No. 102, issued on August 19.

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Industry representatives have also highlighted the potential of compressed biogas (CBG), a renewable fuel that can be distributed through existing gas infrastructure. They argue that CBG could help utilise existing investments as the transport sector transitions towards cleaner fuels.

In April, associations representing sugar, ethanol, bioenergy and green energy interests also urged CAQM to consider alternatives such as ethanol, CNG and CBG alongside battery-electric vehicles.

While EVs eliminate tailpipe emissions, the industry argues that policy decisions should compare the emissions benefits of different technologies. CNG vehicles continue to produce emissions, while CBG’s environmental benefits depend on its production pathway. The industry submissions call for a technology-neutral assessment before restrictions are imposed on existing alternatives. READ MORE

Excerpt from India Today: Delhi-NCR’s fight against air pollution needs a clear assessment of what each fuel and vehicle technology can deliver. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) must weigh the evidence before restricting compressed natural gas (CNG) goods vehicles or favouring a battery-electric vehicle (BEV)-only pathway. Cleaner air is the objective; the technology chosen to achieve it should follow the evidence, not precede it.

Seven industry bodies representing the sugar, ethanol, biogas, distillery and city gas sectors have questioned the direction of the CAQM Expert Committee on Vehicular Emissions. In representations dated April 22 and April 29, 2026, they alleged that their submissions were one sided and not adequately heard at a stakeholder consultation on April 14. They described the discussions as showing a “pre-conceived and pre-determined inclination” towards battery-electric vehicles.

The allegations remain the associations’ account of the consultation, rather than an independently established finding. But they raise a legitimate question for policymakers: can Delhi-NCR afford to narrow its clean-mobility options before comparing their benefits, limitations and infrastructure requirements?

The associations cite data CAQM shared with the Supreme Court on December 8, 2025, which they say shows that pre-BS-VI vehicles account for more than 95 per cent of the vehicular pollution load in Delhi. They also refer to a study by the Automotive Research Association of India and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), prepared for the Ministry of Heavy Industries, which estimates that 40 per cent electric vehicle penetration by 2030 would reduce PM2.5 levels by about 0.8 per cent.

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Electric vehicles also draw power from a grid whose emissions profile matters. The associations point out that nearly 70 per cent of Delhi’s electricity is imported from neighbouring states and that 11 coal-fired power plants lie within about 300 km of the capital.

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Delhi-NCR already has a substantial CNG network, with about 700 stations consuming roughly 3,000 tonnes a day, according to the industry representation. The associations cite a high-level expert committee constituted by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board, which estimated that CNG adoption in Delhi had helped avoid around 40 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and more than 2,500 tonnes of particulate matter.

The implications extend to compressed biogas (CBG), which can be blended into CNG and distributed through existing city gas networks.

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The associations also point to ethanol's links with agricultural waste management, citing a fall in stubble-burning incidents in parts of Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh from around 1,200 to as few as 60-70 cases.

CAQM's own Advisory No. 17, issued on May 2, 2025, recommended options including flex-fuel vehicles, hybrids, CNG and CBG. READ MORE