According to Brigadier General Mousa Amiri, since Sept. 17, eight models namely Cherry Tiggo5, Arizo5, MVM X33, JAC S5, Lifan 820, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Haima S7 and BYD S6, have not been allowed to register and get license plates, ISNA reported.
He said all the banned models have high fuel consumption rates of more than 8.5liters/100km. According to a recently introduced government directive, automakers must send one old car to the junkyard if they produce vehicles with such excessive fuel consumption.
Amiri said, “The automakers have failed to comply with the ruling.”
By the directive, according to Financial Tribune, all new locally produced cars are classified in different fuel efficiency ranges, roughly based on the rules in the European Union.
For each vehicle with fuel consumption over 8.5 liters per 100 kilometers, the carmaker is required to pay the government 25 million rials ($650). Hypothetically the money is to be used for scrapping old and substandard vehicles.
The senior police officer says, “Until the sum is paid the vehicles will not get the number plates.”
With automakers failing to address the problem, so far car buyers have been literally punished and compelled to bear the extra cost.
The eight models are produced by Iran Khodro, Modiran Vehicle Manufacturing, Kerman Khodro and Karmania.
From the government perspective, the new rule will help curb air pollution caused by the vehicles with high consumption and emission rates.
However, the automakers’ amazing indifference and unprofessional response to the new ruling has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the scheme and added a new twist to the plentiful problems between the car companies making low quality vehicles, the government, law enforcement and the public.