In India, diesel cars have always found buyers due to their efficiency and torquey nature. Certain people have only driven diesel-powered cars in their lifetime. Nevertheless, a noticeable decline has happened in the sales of diesel cars. But leaving all the data etc, what should you as an individual do? Should you be buying a diesel car today? Let’s first see why sales are dropping and then answer this question.
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Govt Policy
In recent years, the government has implemented a series of policies aimed at reducing pollution. Most of these policies have made more impact on diesel engines. A significant setback for diesel cars materialised with the introduction of BS 6 emission norms. These norms forced manufacturers to integrate DPF systems to regulate pollution levels. Though it was a simple procedure, it shot up the costs. This was further aggravated by the BS6 stage-2 norms that led to the discontinuation of small diesel engines.
Delhi’s diesel ban
Delhi has been historically a substantial market for diesel vehicles. However, the step of prohibiting the operation of diesel cars that were a decade old has had a devastating effect on potential diesel car buyers. Recently, with pollution peaking in Delhi, the government banned BS3 and BS4 cars in the city. This ringed alarm bells as most BS4 cars haven’t completed even 10 years. Such constant changes in rules have forced people to be wary of buying diesel cars.
Buying a diesel car – Manufacturers discontinuing Diesel
Another obvious reason is that a lot of manufacturers have discontinued diesel engines. Maruti, the country’s largest manufacturer, has stopped selling diesel cars. Also, other manufacturers like Skoda, Volkswagen, Renault, Nissan, etc don’t have any diesel cars in their portfolio. This has resulted in fewer options directly hampering sales.
New technologies
With advancements in technology, petrol cars have become very fuel efficient. No, they are not as efficient as diesel but have managed to bridge the gap somewhat. This has made petrol cars a viable option over diesel. Additionally, electric and hybrid cars have become affordable and more accessible, providing customers with effective alternatives to diesel cars.
Buying a diesel car – Conclusion
So this is why the sales of diesel cars have dropped in the last few years. But, coming to the title of the story, should you buy a diesel car today? We would say yes if it fits your needs. Yes, newer regulations would affect diesel cars, but diesel as a fuel will continue to exist for a long time. We recently interviewed Shailesh Chandra, MD of Tata Motors. He also stated that customers should look at the options in the current stage. If diesel fits your bill, you should buy it. So to conclude, you can buy diesel cars. The only issue you could face is less resale value or some extreme steps like the recent ban on older diesel cars in Delhi.
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