KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — Beginning today, diesel-powered vehicles can finally purchase the cleaner but pricier Euro 5 diesel in Johor, which was imported here largely to allow commercial vehicles meet Singapore’s newly-introduced regulation on black smoke emissions.
According to automotive web portal Autoworld, Euro 5 will only be available at four BHPetrol sites in Malaysia’s southernmost state for now, while a further seven stations will start selling the fuel within a fortnight.
The article said the four pioneer stations are situated at Tebrau, Pasir Gudang, and the north— and south-bound PLUS Highway R&R stops at Pagoh.
The fuel will cost motorists RM2.30 per litre, the same rate as the RON95 petrol, which is 10 sen higher than the RM2.20 charged for every litre of the lower grade Euro 2M diesel currently offered at petrol stations across the country.
The article also said that only Malaysia-registered vehicles will be allowed to purchase the Euro 5 diesel, which can be identified at the pumps by their blue-coloured hoses and nozzles.
On January 1 this year, Singapore introduced a fresh regulation on all diesel-powered vehicles entering the island state.
According to reports, Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) lowered the permissible level of black smoke emitted from a vehicle from 50HSU (Hartridge Smoke Units) to 40HSU.
The agency, however, allowed a six-months grace period before enforcement.
Failure to comply with the new regulation will result in motorists facing stiff penalties or being denied entry into the country altogether, reports said.
Unlike the existing Euro 2M diesel sold here, Euro 5 is of a cleaner grade with its sulphur content significantly lower from 500ppm (parts per million) to just 10ppm.
According to Autoworld, upgrading from the Euro 2M to Euro 5 requires nitrogen oxide emissions to be down from 730 to 180mg/km and diesel particulate matter from 100 to 5mg/km.
The article noted that many Euro 5 vehicles sold in Malaysia were forced in the past to have their diesel particulate filters removed in order to function with the lower grade Euro 2M fuel.
