Chile: On-Road Vehicles and Engines

Background

Chilean emission standards for vehicles and engines are adopted by the Ministerio de Transportes y Telecomunicaciones (MTT) in cooperation with the Ministerio del Medio Ambiente (MMA).

Emission standards for highway vehicles, light- and heavy-duty, have been in place since the early 1990’s. While the standards are based on US and EU emission regulations, they are not necessarily equivalent. Dual standards often exist, allowing new engines to meet either US or EU standards. No durability or on-board diagnostic (OBD) requirements are indicated in Chile’s emission standards. Some OBD requirements are expected to be introduced after 2011.

The emission limits are based on the date that application is first made to register the vehicle in the national vehicle registry and the geographic region in which it operates. Application date for registration as opposed to vehicle model year is used presumably to control emissions from imported used vehicles. To legally operate an on-road vehicle in Chile, a colored sticker must be attached to the vehicle. The color of the sticker determines what region of the country a vehicle may operate in. Rules for issuing stickers depend on the vehicle class.

Due to more severe pollution problems, many vehicle emission standards for the Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM) are more stringent and/or introduced earlier that those for the rest of the country. A decree issued in 2010 [D.S. N° 66/10] requires a number of programs to be established in the Santiago Metropolitan Region by 2011 to accelerate the uptake of cleaner vehicles. These programs include the implementation of a Low Emission Zone for heavy vehicles and a voluntary truck scrappage program.

Light-Duty Vehicles

The emission standards for light-duty (GVWR < 2700 kg) and medium-duty (2700 ≤ GVWR < 3860 kg) vehicles apply to 1994 model year and newer vehicles [D.S. N° 211/1991 and D.S. N° 54/1994]. Light-duty vehicles include passenger cars and light light-duty trucks. Medium-duty vehicles are heavy light-duty trucks.

Early emission standards for passenger cars and light trucks, which were based on US 1984 regulations, are shown in Table 1. These standards first applied in the Santiago Metropolitan Region and in the continental parts of Region V and Region VI. The test cycle was the US FTP 75.

More recent emission standards are summarized in Table 2.1 and Table 2.2 for diesel fueled vehicles and in Table 3.1 and Table 3.2 for gasoline, CNG and LPG fueled vehicles. Standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles reflecting US Tier 1 and Euro 3 standards came into effect in 2005 for RM and 2006 nationally. For light-duty diesel fueled vehicles operating in RM, standards based on California Tier 1 and Euro 4 were adopted for 2006/2007 and will be tightened to EPA Tier 2 Bin 5/Euro 5 levels in 2011. EPA Tier 2 Bin 8/Euro 4 based standards for light-duty vehicles with a spark ignition engine operating in RM will apply in 2011. For medium-duty spark ignition and diesel fueled vehicles operating in RM, standards based on EPA Tier 1 Bin 8 and Euro 4 levels will come into effect in 2011. For medium-duty diesel fueled vehicles, these will be tightened to EPA Tier 2 Bin 5/Euro 5 in 2012. The US based standards are numerically equal to the intermediate life (5 year/50,000 mile) EPA or California limits.

New gasoline fueled vehicles must also meet an evaporative emission limit of 2 g/test (SHED).

In-use vehicles. Inspection and Maintenance tests are carried out with a two speed idle test. In-use light-duty, medium-duty spark-ignition and heavy-duty gasoline fueled vehicles have to meet I/M maximum limits of 0.5% CO and 100 ppm HC. Light-duty SI vehicles must also meet a minimum limit of 6% CO₂ + CO. Light-duty diesels must show no visible smoke. Medium-duty and heavy-duty diesels must pass filter smoke number and opacity tests with the engine under load and during a snap-acceleration test. An in-use opacity limit for vehicles equipped with particulate filters is set at 0.24 m^-1 maximum [D.S. N° 66/10]. Urban buses have also the following in-use emission limits [D.S. N° 130/02]:

• Smoke opacity < 4%, k = 1.0 1/m for diesel engines
• CO < 0.5%, THC < 100 ppm for gaseous fuel and gasoline engines

Trucks And Buses

Emission standards for heavy-duty truck and bus engines [D.S. N° 55/1994] are listed in Table 4. Early standards applied to vehicles operating in the Santiago Metropolitan Region (RM) and Region IV to X. Nationwide standards took effect in 2006. In cases where dual standards exist—EU-based and US-based—engines are tested on the respective EU or US test cycles, as indicated.

Starting with heavy-duty vehicles first registered January 2012 and later and operating in the Metropolitan Region, PM emissions are limited to Euro IV/US 2007 levels while NO_x limits for these vehicles remain at Euro III/US 1998 levels. In addition to OEM vehicles produced to meet the 2012 PM requirements, the limit can also be met by engines originally certified to PM emissions higher than the levels shown if they have been fitted with a diesel particulate filter carrying an approval by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) or California ARB Level 3 verification and if the engine’s certification PM emissions multiplied by (1 - filter efficiency/100) does not exceed the limits shown. It should be reinforced that this is not a retrofit requirement for vehicles first registered prior to 2012 but a compliance option for those first registered after January 2012.

Emission standards for urban buses operating in certain parts of the Santiago Metropolitan Region (Santiago Province and the municipalities of San Bernardo and Puente Alto) are more stringent than those listed in Table 4. These are listed in Table 5. The most recent 2002 limits [D.S. N° 130/02] are equivalent to Euro III/US 1998 standards. Urban buses first registered in September 2012 or later for use in this region must be equipped with a factory installed OEM diesel particulate filter to ensure emissions do not exceed the limits equivalent to Euro IV or US 2004 NMHC+NOx/US 2007 PM [D.S. N° 66/10].

Gasoline and gas fueled trucks and buses have also an evaporative emission limit of 4 g per test.

Acknowledgement: This article based in part on information submitted by Marcelo M. Guerrero of ENAP.