Over a dozen car models - including some
popular mainstays - will not meet the Euro 6 emission standard
which kicks in on Friday.
These include popular executive sedans such as the
Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Teana, and budget sedans such
as the Nissan Almera and Toyota Vios.
Chevrolet's entire range here, along with Suzuki's
Swift hatchback and S-Cross crossover, Hyundai's sporty Veloster
and Honda's budget seven-seater Mobilio, also do not meet the
emission standard.
The respective authorised agents plan to bring back
Euro 6-compliant versions of some of the cars in due course.
But a few are likely to exit the market for good,
including the Nissan Teana, Honda Accord and Honda Mobilio.
While a number of cars will exit the Singapore market
from Friday, their absence may not impact that many consumers.
Mr Ron Lim, general manager of Nissan agent Tan Chong
Motor, said that consumers have been veering away from sedans
towards sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in recent years.
Hence the impact of the two Nissan sedans' exit, for
example, would not be significant.
Euro 6, the highest emission standard by the European
Union, is aimed at reducing levels of harmful exhaust emissions in
petrol and diesel vehicles.
Singapore is adopting Euro 6 for petrol vehicles from
Sept 1, and for diesel vehicles from Jan 1 next year.
Despite earlier fears, most, if not all, parallel
import models will meet the standard, which was first announced in
December 2014.
This is because the National Environment Agency (NEA)
deems cars that have port fuel injection engines and that meet
JPN2009 regulation - an emission standard introduced in Japan eight
years ago - to be Euro 6-compliant.
Port fuel injection - where fuel is injected just
before the engine's combustion chamber - is used widely by Japanese
manufacturers.
As proof, the NEA accepts export certificates or
third-party certification for parallel-imported vehicles.
Authorised agents, however, are required to submit
documentation from the vehicle manufacturers "to establish
compliance with emission standards and identification of the fuel
injection system".
As a number of authorised agents' cars are sourced from
Asian plants, they are not made to comply with JPN2009.
This is because most Asian markets do not require such
a high emission standard.
Asked how an eight-year-old Japanese emission standard
can be equivalent to the latest European standard, Singapore
University of Technology and Design assistant professor in
engineering systems and design Lynette Cheah said: "The Japanese
motor vehicle emissions standards have been tightened incrementally
over time.
"Their 2016 limits are comparable to Euro 6 standards.
The standard quoted by NEA refers to limits originally published by
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2002, but
has since been amended and made more stringent a number of
times."
While the Sept 1 regulation will see some models exit
the market and others become unavailable temporarily, industry
experts expect a much bigger shake-up when another emissions scheme
comes into effect in January.
The Vehicular Emissions Scheme grants tax rebates or
imposes surcharges on cars according to readings of five
pollutants: carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides,
hydrocarbons and particulate matter.
Under the scheme, a number of small turbocharged
engines - popular among European and, increasingly, Japanese makes
- will attract a surcharge of as much as $20,000, versus a rebate
of at least $5,000 now.
TNP