The Bhutanese Leading the way.
This paper last week reported on how large numbers of Euro 6 engine diesel vehicles are breaking down across different companies and vehicle dealers feel that the quality of fuel is a major factor.
When asked about the issue, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE) minister Namgyal Dorji ruled out that fuel quality is impacting the Euro 6 diesel vehicles.
The minister said that people earlier said water was being put in fuel which may have happened in the past but now a days there are electronic devices to test for such things in fuel pumps and the only water in the fuel may be due to seepage in the underground oil tanks.
He said to test for this there is a lab near Chunzom and tests were carried out for water and the issue is resolved.
The minister said that in this case of Euro 6 engines an AdBlue oil has to be put on time and he said the question is in the context of Toyota Fortuners given to the Dzongdas in 20 Dzongkhags and vehicles given to other service providers and issues in the ISUZU D-Max vehicles etc. having problems.
The minister said the Euro 6 engine is very sensitive and not like before and it may also be an issue of how the vehicles are used and handled.
On the way forward the minister said the vehicle dealers and workshops have to repair vehicles when it is spoilt and while doing so they should collect data and information on when it was repaired, where the fuel was put from etc.
The minister said that once this information is gathered an investigation can be done and the problem can be solved.
The minister said that their ministry has not received any official complaints on the fuel quality or other issues.
However, when it comes to fuel quality this is contradicted by the reports received by the vehicle dealers from their counterparts and manufacturers.
For example, Toyota under STCBL has reports showing that the fuel quality is not consistent and the Sulphur content in the fuel is much higher than allowed. The companies abroad had taken fuel samples from the engines sent and tested the fuel.
Similarly, Samden vehicles also got a report from its main dealer in Siliguri which said that the cause of the problems in the Euro 6 engines was fuel quality.
In the case of ISUZU D-Max there was an issue of the engine oil not being up to the parameters required for Euro-6 engines.
A dealer questioned the minister’s stance saying if fuel is not a problem then why did the National Environment Commission reduce the vehicle import specification from Euro 6 to Euro 4 from 20 May 2024 onwards.
Bhutan is supposed to be getting Euro 6 level fuel from its PSU oil suppliers in India according to the Trade Department.
The dealer said that India has implemented similar standards known as BS6 for its fuel and vehicles but why is it not an issue in India with vehicles breaking down in large numbers and why only in Bhutan.
The vehicle dealer said that while fuel pumps in Bhutan have equipment to check density of fuel and water in fuel there is no capacity among the fuel pumps or even in the government to check for Sulphur content.
On the minister’s stand that no official complaint has been filed the dealer said that when a major issue occurs the government agencies should be pro-active and work on it and not wait for complaints in writing. He said that a story was even published in The Bhutanese in the last issue and it is not clear what the government is now waiting for.
A big headache for vehicle dealers is now unsold Euro 6 vehicle stock which they feel people will either buy very less of or not buy at all.
STCBL has a stock of 39 such vehicles worth around Nu 100 million (mn), Samden vehicles has around 29 such vehicles worth Nu 43.5 mn and Hyundai has 41 ISUZU D-Max worth around Nu 31.75 mn.
With large numbers of Euro 6 diesel vehicles sold in Tata, Toyota, Hyundai, Mahindra, Eicher, Kia and Ashok Leyland brands and many developing problems the issue is what about the rights of customers and consumers.
Vehicle dealers said that they car warranty will cover the repair and fixing for now but in the long term it will be a financial burden.
A STCBL official said they are advising their clients to use STCBL fuel.
