The Bhutanese Leading the way.
With the breakdown of Euro 6 diesel vehicles across different car companies, the main suspect, pointed out by the vehicle dealers, is the Euro 6 diesel fuel in Bhutan, which they say is not up to the mark.
Last week, the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Employment, Namgyal Dorji, ruled out that fuel quality is affecting these vehicles, but he said if more information comes forward then an investigation can be done.
Poor Quality fuel
This paper has received two lab reports that show fuel quality in Bhutan is not up to the mark.
The first report is from a Euro 6 Eicher DCM Jumbo Truck purchased from STCBL, and belonging to Gyalsung Infra, which had spoilt while plying through Assam in May 2023.
Since the truck was still under warranty, the nearest Eicher service center in Dalsingpara sent the fuel in the fuel tank for investigation to an independent third-party laboratory in Pune called Chem-Tech Laboratories.
The laboratory report says, “The sample is highly contaminated with organic chloride. This would cause corrosion and rust formation on fuel system components. This fuel is not recommended for use in the equipment. The sample does not meet the requirements of BS 6 (same as Euro 6) diesel fuel as per standards of IS 1460 specifications for distillation recovery.”
The report found 2,343 milligrams of chlorine per kg of fuel when the maximum limit should be 1 milligram per kg.
Another issue is that the Distillation Recovery was 95 percent volume, recovered at 365 degrees centigrade when the maximum should be 360 degrees centigrade. This is not good because a higher temperature means combustion of the less volatile components will be incomplete, fuel droplets may reach the cylinder walls and dilution of the lubricating oil may take place, thereby increasing wear and producing coke deposits in the combustion chamber and waste segments.
The paper called the driver of the Eicher DCM and asked him from where did he fuel his truck regularly, and he said that it was always at Tashi BOD, as the fuel book was for Tashi BOD and he did not fuel at any other place.
The second lab report is to do with a Toyota vehicle purchased by the RBG from STCBL. The parts were sent to Japan where Toyota Industries Corporation carried out tests of both the equipment and fuel.
The test found the presence of chlorine and sulphur in the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valve, especially in the area where there was a hole caused by corrosion.
The report said that Chlorine dissolved in condensed water and formed Hydrochloric acid leading to the corrosion.
The report said that if the fuel does not have Chlorine then the EGR gas will not have Chlorine. The report says that that the Chlorine entered the fuel through two ways. Either the fuel originally contained Chlorine or an additive to the fuel contained chlorine.
The Toyota report says it faced the adding of Chlorine to fuel to erase the green colour of kerosene in India. This simply means that when diesel is being adulterated by adding cheaper kerosene then Chlorine is added to disguise the colour of the kerosene.
A RBG source, on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that it primarily sourced its fuel from Tashi BOD, and since 2022 it has switched to STCBL for the Euro 6 vehicles with it.
The source said there is some slight improvement but the old problems with the vehicles continue to persist.
Earlier Samden vehicles had a report from its main dealer in Siliguri that the cause of problems in Euro 6 vehicle was fuel quality. However, Samden said it would take some days to get the lab report, and they are not sure where these trucks fuelled up.
Complaints
The MoICE minister last week had said that the ministry had not received any complaints on the fuel issue, however, a complaint letter dated, 10 April 2024 addressed to the Office of Consumer Protection (which is now the Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority or CCAA) raises the quality of diesel and ISUZU D-Max (BS6).
The letter in its first line says, “I purchased an Isuzu D-Max BS6 version in August 2022. Based on my personal experience, the vehicle has either a fault in its Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system or the quality of diesel being imported into Bhutan is of questionable quality which is causing the EGR to malfunction repeatedly.”
The person’s vehicle was repaired once by Isuzu.
A follow up email by the same person says that he has stopped facing issues since he started fuelling up at STCBL and also a change in the engine oil. He said the Isuzu technical team, in an unofficial conversation with him, blamed both diesel quality and engine oil for the EGR problem
Apart from the above, the reporter talked to the drivers of the Toyota Fortuner vehicles of the Dzongdas of Chukha, Haa, Bumthang and Samtse, and all of them have confirmed issues with the Euro 6 vehicles, and they said that they had been fuelling with Tashi BODs since the fuel books are with the specific BOD. This would be a similar case in most Dzongkhags, with the Fortuner cars of most Dzongdas developing issues.
Two drivers of two Toyota Hiluxes from Gyalsung Infra in Thimphu also confirmed the same issues as above, as well as a driver of a Fortuner in RMA, Thimphu.
The owner of Bhutan Dorji Holiday, Chambula Dorji, said his Toyota Haice and two ISUZU-D Max have developed issues, and in response to a question said they mainly fuelled up in Tashi BODs across the country while going on tours. He said he has switched to STCBL for the last month and a half.
Tshering Penjor a Tour Manager at Norbu Bhutan said that two of its Toyota Haices and a Prado has issues, and though they fuelled at Tashi BOD he does not believe it is fuel issues, unless it can be proved, and he feels it is more a manufacturing and other issues.
The reporter sent some questions to the Tashi BOD General Manager but there was no reply.
Complicated issue
Going with the above instances, one would start assuming it is a fuel quality problem specific to Tashi BOD, but as the reporter interviewed more people, the picture became more complicated.
Two Toyota Fortuners and a Toyota Hilux of Rigsar Construction is impacted, and when the reporter asked the Rigsar management on where they fuelled up an official said around 90 percent of the fuel is from STCBL, as they buy the fuel in bulk and then fuel their cars.
He said in the case of the Hilux, it is even more as it operates mainly in Thimphu.
A private businessman from Babesa, Jigme Dorji, who owns an ISUZU D-MAX filed a complaint at the CCAA on 1 August 2024 regarding his vehicle. When asked, he said he bought his vehicle in September 2023 and since then he has fuelled only at STCBL.
He said he also trusts the fuel and thinks other issues are causing the problem.
The two above cases show that if fuel is an issue then it may not be just a Tashi BOD problem, but it could actually be a wider issue and raises questions on the very fuel imported into Bhutan.
Sole fuel lab in Bhutan not functional
So far, the Trade Department under MoICE has expressed high confidence on the quality of the fuel imported into Bhutan as Euro 6 quality, but it may be time to ask questions of both the Indian PSUs that supply the oil, and also fuel pumps in Bhutan where it is distributed.
Tashi BOD gets its fuel from Bharat Petroleum in most parts of the country and from Indian Oil Corporation in the East.
STCBL gets its fuel from Hindustan Petroleum and Damchen gets its fuel from Indian Oil Corporation.
What has not helped is that the sole laboratory to test fuel quality near Chunzom does not have the technical staff after the Chemist resigned two years ago, and a trained lab assistant left for Australia.
The lab equipment is also obsolete as it was only meant to test Euro 4 or BS 4 fuel, and so new equipment to test Euro 6 fuel has to be brought in.
When the lab was functional, tests were regularly done with fuel samples from across the country.
A Trade Department official, on the condition of anonymity, responding to the two lab reports cast doubts on the reports, alleging it is not clear if the person driving the vehicles adulterated the fuel, and that unless it is from the pump, samples can be given to tarnish the reputation of business rivals.
The trade official said that samples cannot be collected just like that, and it should be done from the pump by a committee.
The official said that these Euro 6 vehicles require special fluids like AdBlue and also a higher end engine oil, and drivers may not be aware about allowing the car to complete the regeneration cycle or even how to press the regeneration button (to clear the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) near the exhaust).
The official said that older companies like Tashi BoD have older storage tanks of 15 and 20 years, and so maybe earthquakes and cracks can lead to some seepage of rainwater.
The official said that certain things like car manufacturing defects also need to be looked at.
A RBG source said that Bhutan may not be conducive to the Euro 6 vehicles.
A Gyalsung Infra Hilux driver said that no one briefed them on the Euro 6 vehicles and the precautions to take.
Impact of the breakdown
The impact of the Euro 6 diesel vehicle breakdowns taking place in Isuzu, Tata, Toyota, Eicher, Ashok Leyland, Mahindra and Kia is starting to have a massive impact.
Many senior government functionaries from Dzongdas to other officials drive such vehicles, and their constant breakdowns can impact the mobility of the Dzongdas and others. This is also the case in other government agencies. There will also be budgetary implications in the long run with the constant need to fix such vehicles.
In the private sector, people are also hit hard. Jigme Dorji said that while the government may not feel the pinch, the private sector does.
Tshering Penjor from Norbu Bhutan said that while tour companies can somehow absorb the losses and manage, there are many independent tourist drivers who have bought the expensive vehicles on loan, and now have nowhere to go.
The failure of the Euro 6 vehicles in Bhutan will also have a major impact on measures to control air pollution. A source said that some dealers and workshops are already offering the option to blank the EGR and remove the DPF from inside, which will lead to a lot of emissions. He said that already some large machinery operators are resorting to this.
The National Environment Commission (NEC) which once said only Euro 6 vehicles can be imported from January 2022 rolled back its decision, and allowed the import of Euro 4 vehicles from 20 May 2024. The paper sent some questions to the NEC on the issue, but there was no reply, as usual.
Meanwhile, with awareness of the problem growing, a total of 34 people, most of them with the ISUZU D-Max vehicles, have filed complaints with CCAA over the vehicle issues, so far.
