Tata Motors’ 3.8L SGI CNG engine for CVs gets BS VI certification

In the run-up to its readiness to meet upcoming BS VI emission norms, Tata Motors has announced that it has received BS6 Type Approval certificate for its 3.8-litre NA SGI CNG engine from ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India).

This makes it the first OEM in India to achieve BS VI certification for a naturally aspirated CNG engine for commercial vehicles. This certification includes meeting the tailpipe mass emissions as well as compliance to On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) norms as mandated by government regulation. 

Commenting on the certification, Rajendra Petkar, Chief Technology Officer, Tata Motors, said, “This BS VI engine certification milestone has been achieved with intense design and development focus, by leveraging in-house capabilities and those of our technology partners. We have worked hard to build a leadership position in the market by providing our customers with economical, best-in-class natural gas vehicle products in the commercial vehicle market and this development of BS VI solution will further re-inforce our market offering.”

The 3.8-litre NA SGI CNG engine is a naturally aspirated engine, which means it does not need a turbocharger. It produces a maximum power of 85 Ps at 2500rpm and torque of 285 Nm at 2500rpm. This combustion occurs at stoichiometric conditions in this engine, which comes with sequential gas injection (SGI) technology, pioneered by Tata Motors in India. The exhaust after-treatment system features a three-way catalytic converter that helps reduce pollutants below limits mandated by regulation.

The 3.8 NA SGI CNG engine will power 4T to 9T GVW buses and trucks such as 407, 709 and 909 (existing BS4 versions), which are already very popular models in the market, with the best-in-class fuel efficiency. Truck applications include water tankers too.

As is known, BS VI norms will come into force in India from April 1, 2020. The upgradation from BS IV to BS VI, in which all of India Auto Inc is actively engaged, involves complex engineering. This calls for not only pushing technological advancements to the limits but also for a turnaround of the infrastructure and facilities required for this development, which is highly capital intensive in nature with long lead execution periods.

Tata Motors says it has installed a state-of-the-art Emission Test Facility at the Power Systems Engineering Division (PSE), in ERC, Pune. This facility serves as one of the crucial milestones for BS VI implementation for the automaker.