Overview

• Top government officials have opened a review of tailored CAFE targets for lightweight vehicles under 1,000kg to ease compliance for small cars.
• A Nomura study found India’s linear weight-based framework penalises lighter models with stricter CO2 limits while granting leniency to heavier vehicles.
• Maruti Suzuki formally petitioned before CAFE 3 enforcement, warning the current norms threaten its small-car lineup, which comprises ten of its seventeen models.
• Major markets such as the US, EU, China and Japan employ piecewise or non-linear emission models that cap tightening for entry-level cars.
• The debate underscores tensions between India’s emission reduction goals and the need to preserve affordability and consumer choice in the auto sector.