Mumbai:
Welcome the Euro IV or Bharat Stage IV - the country's most environment friendly fuel yet.
Now mandatory in 13 metros across the country - Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Surat, Ahmedabad, Pune and Solapur - the Euro IV is India's latest step towards greener vehicles.
In the long run, Euro fuels are expected to translate into less pollution and better mileage for vehicles, owing to the lower quantity of sulphur in diesel and lower sulphur and aromatic content in petrol.
"We already have CNG in Mumbai. With the coming of Euro IV, we will have the cleanest supply of fuel in the world," says Bharat Petroleum's General Manager (West) P C Srivastava.
Though this also means fuel that will cost more, the hike is marginal - 50 paise extra on petrol and 26 paise on diesel. Prices will vary according to the taxes across states.
"It will help mileage, which will ultimately compensate for the price hike. And it will reduce pollution," said a citizen who drove his brand new SUV into a fuel station shortly after the Euro IV launch.
At the moment there are just 13 cities on the Euro IV map, but the rest of India too will have to switch to Euro IV by October this year.