Saudi Standard for Energy Efficiency for Used Cars

 

On January 1, 2016, Saudi Technical Regulation No. (SASO 2864: 2015) for the fuel economy standard for light added vehicles entered the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, starting from January 1, 2016, the mandatory application phase on used cars.

 

The authorities concerned with implementing the regulation (the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization – the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center – the Ministry of Trade and Industry – the General Customs Authority) emphasized the importance of ensuring the fuel economy standards for the used car before importing it, so that the importer can enter it into the Kingdom, by visiting the website (www.sls.gov.sa )

Ensure that they meet the criteria before proceeding with the purchase.

 

To make it easier for those wishing to import used cars from abroad, the Standards Authority has devoted this angle to reviewing the most important inquiries and answers to them, so that the importer obtains his full right to know in everything related to imported used cars.

 

What is the fuel economy standard, and why is it important?

The transportation sector was the second-largest consumer of energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and its consumption is expected to grow significantly in the foreseeable future.

It is expected that the number of light vehicles added over the next fifteen years will exceed the current stock of vehicles on the road. For this reason, addressing the energy efficiency of this class of vehicles will become very important for the Kingdom.

This is what forced the development of a fuel economy standard to achieve this goal, which came into effect on January 1, 2016, and aims to improve the energy efficiency of light vehicles imported into the Kingdom and stimulate vehicle manufacturers to introduce the latest energy efficiency technologies to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to reduce vehicle imports Equipped with old technologies that do not comply with the needs of the Saudi market, and the standard does not require any type of new vehicle models to be prohibited, meaning that the standard will not affect the options available to the consumer.

 

With regard to used vehicles, the standard imposes minimum fuel economy limits for each class of vehicles as follows:

• Passenger cars (10.3 kilometers per liter)
• Light trucks (9.0 kilometers per liter)

 

What are the Kingdom’s efforts to adopt the fuel economy standard, and why did we need it?

The Saudi Energy Efficiency Program, emanating from the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center, in cooperation with all concerned authorities in the Kingdom, has identified the causes of the low level of energy efficiency in the road transport sector, and concluded that the low rate of vehicle fuel economy is the main reason for the low level of consumption efficiency in this The sector, where the average vehicle fuel economy in the Kingdom is approximately twelve kilometers per liter of fuel, compared to about thirteen kilometers per liter of fuel in the United States of America, fifteen kilometers per liter of fuel in China, and eighteen kilometers per liter of fuel in Europe.

 

The specialized team in the program, consisting of the Ministries of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Trade and Industry, and Transport, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, the General Customs Authority, the General Traffic Department, the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center and Saudi Aramco, have worked for two years with governmental and non-governmental advisory bodies.

Governmental organizations, and at all local, regional and international levels, to prepare the Saudi standard for fuel economy, and when starting work on preparing the standard in November 2013, the nature of supply and demand for vehicles in the Kingdom was taken into account, and continuous communication with international auto manufacturers by submitting fuel economy reports for their vehicles and taking their observations and their suggestions regarding the achievement of continuous improvement in the level of the standard, while maintaining technical neutrality, fair competition, and the diversity of vehicle options available to consumers.

 

The process of preparing the standard resulted in the approval and commitment of more than (80) companies representing the source of industry more than (99%) of vehicle sales in the Kingdom to apply the Saudi standard for fuel economy in light vehicles, which will result in achieving high savings in energy consumption.

 

What are the efforts of the entities involved in adopting the standard and their roles in the implementation mechanism?

The fuel economy standard was developed based on a joint effort among all the authorities concerned with the road transport sector, which were all represented in the land transport team of the Saudi Energy Efficiency Program, namely: the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Transport, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, the Department General Traffic, General Customs Authority, Saudi Energy Efficiency Center, Saudi Aramco.

 

Accordingly, the authority issued this technical regulation, and the implementation will be done in cooperation with all concerned government agencies, namely:

the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Saudi Organization for Standardization, Metrology and Quality, the General Customs Authority, and the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center.

Work is also underway to develop an electronic program for fuel economy in cooperation with the government agencies concerned with the application, through which the average fuel economy is calculated for each vehicle manufacturer, in addition to the electronic linking with the General Customs Authority database of vehicles through which it is possible to know the actual fuel economy rate for each company maker.

 

How is the fuel economy of the vehicle to be imported from abroad and the extent of its compliance with energy efficiency requirements determined?

 

The Saudi Energy Efficiency Center, in cooperation with the Saudi Organization for Standardization, Metrology and Quality, has created an online database that enables anyone to check the vehicle’s fuel economy (from the year 2010 and onwards) and to know the extent to which it conforms to energy efficiency requirements, that is, it exceeds the minimum limits set by the standard For each vehicle category, they are as follows:

• Passenger cars (10.3 kilometers per liter)
• Light trucks (9.0 kilometers per liter)

 

Are there new requirements for importing the used vehicle into the Kingdom?

Yes, as the used car importer must provide a certificate from the Standards and Metrology Authority indicating that the imported vehicle conforms to the requirements of the fuel economy standard. As this does not eliminate any of the other requirements for importing used vehicles into the Kingdom, such as not being older than five years, damaged, or used as a taxi and other requirements that can be obtained from the Customs Authority.

So if the owners of exhibitions and suppliers of used cars are discussing that the authority has banned cars with engines of 450 hp and more from entering the Kingdom?

 

When will the application take place?

The fuel economy standard did not specify any specific specifications in cars and did not specify a maximum number of cylinders, engine size, or permissible engine power. Rather, minimum fuel economy limits were specified for passenger cars and light trucks separately, regardless of the specifications of the car itself.

 

How many cars entered the Kingdom during the year 2015, whether new or used?

The number of cars that entered the Kingdom during 2015 was about 1,060,000, including light cars and heavy trucks.

If I want to import a used car and it has been confirmed through the website that it is identical, should the meter not exceed 1000 km?

The new car must be the model of the current or previous year, provided that the mileage does not exceed 1000 km.

Otherwise, it is considered a used car and the fuel economy standard for used cars applies to it.

 

Does the decision apply to dealers only, or to the level of individuals importing cars?

The decision applies to everyone, whether it is for personal or commercial use.

 

If my car is new, am I required to meet energy efficiency requirements for cars?

New cars are required to exceed energy efficiency requirements for new cars as per the concept of average corporate fuel economy, and the standard is applied to the manufacturer and not to the importer, trader or individual. Any car can be imported, and the manufacturers will be billed on it based on the total sales during the year.

 

I would like to import a new 2016 model car, with a new engine capacity of (3.8) liters, noting that the fuel economy card states that it is (8.5) km / liter. Does the decision apply to the new or the user?

The vehicle you are referring to is new and average corporate fuel economy applies to it, and no used vehicle minimum fuel economy applies to it.

 

Can I import a 2012 model car with more than 1000 km?

Yes it can, but it has to match the energy efficiency requirements of used cars.