Background
European Union emission regulations for new light duty vehicles (passenger cars and light commercial vehicles) were once specified in Directive 70/220/EEC with a number of amendments adopted through 2004. In 2007, this Directive has been repealed and replaced by Regulation 715/2007 (Euro 5/6). Some of the important regulatory steps implementing emission standard for light-duty vehicles were:
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- Euro 1 standards (also known as EC 93): Directives 91/441/EEC (passenger cars only) or 93/59/EEC (passenger cars and light trucks)
- Euro 2 standards (EC 96): Directives 94/12/EC or 96/69/EC
- Euro 3/4 standards (2000/2005): Directive 98/69/EC, further amendments in 2002/80/EC
- Euro 5/6 standards (2009/2014): Regulation 715/2007 (“political” legislation) and Regulation 692/2008 (“implementing” legislation)
Applicability. Emission standards for light-duty vehicles are applicable to all vehicles category M1, M2, N1 and N2 with a reference mass not exceeding 2610 kg (Euro 5/6). EU regulations introduce different emission limits for compression ignition (diesel) and positive ignition (gasoline, NG, LPG, ethanol,...) vehicles. Diesels have more stringent CO standards but are allowed higher NOx. Positive ignition vehicles were exempted from PM standards through the Euro 4 stage. Euro 5/6 regulations introduce PM mass emission standards, equal to those for diesels, for positive ignition vehicles with DI engines.
Fuels. The 2000/2005 standards were accompanied by an introduction of more stringent fuel regulations that require minimum diesel cetane number of 51 (year 2000), maximum diesel sulfur content of 350 ppm in 2000 and 50 ppm in 2005, and maximum petrol (gasoline) sulfur content of 150 ppm in 2000 and 50 ppm in 2005. “Sulfur-free” diesel and gasoline fuels (≤ 10 ppm S) must be available from 2005, and became mandatory from 2009.
Emission Testing. Emissions are tested over the NEDC (ECE 15 + EUDC) chassis dynamometer procedure. Effective year 2000 (Euro 3), that test procedure was modified to eliminate the 40 s engine warm-up period before the beginning of emission sampling. This modified cold start test is referred to as the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) or as the MVEG-B test. All emissions are expressed in g/km.
The Euro 5/6 implementing legislation introduces a new PM mass emission measurement method (similar to the US 2007 procedure) developed by the UN/ECE Particulate Measurement Programme (PMP) and adjusts the PM mass emission limits to account for differences in results using the old and the new method. The Euro 5/6 legislation also introduces a particle number emission limit (PMP method), in addition to the mass-based limits. At the time of adoption of the Euro 5/6 regulation, its mass-based PM emission limits could only be met by closed particulate filters. Number-based PM limits were adopted to prevent the possibility that in the future open filters are developed that meet the PM mass limit but enable a high number of ultra fine particles to pass.
Emission Standards
EU emission standards are summarized in the following tables. All dates listed in the tables refer to new type approvals. The EC Directives also specify a second date—one year later, unless indicated otherwise—which applies to first registration (entry into service) of existing, previously type-approved vehicle models.
| Tier | Date | CO | HC | HC+NOx | NOx | PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compression Ignition (Diesel) | ||||||
| Euro 1† | 1992.07 | 2.72 (3.16) | - | 0.97 (1.13) | - | 0.14 (0.18) |
| Euro 2, IDI | 1996.01 | 1.0 | - | 0.7 | - | 0.08 |
| Euro 2, DI | 1996.01a | 1.0 | - | 0.9 | - | 0.10 |
| Euro 3 | 2000.01 | 0.64 | - | 0.56 | 0.50 | 0.05 |
| Euro 4 | 2005.01 | 0.50 | - | 0.30 | 0.25 | 0.025 |
| Euro 5 | 2009.09b | 0.50 | - | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.005e |
| Euro 6 | 2014.09 | 0.50 | - | 0.17 | 0.08 | 0.005e |
| Positive Ignition (Gasoline) | ||||||
| Euro 1† | 1992.07 | 2.72 (3.16) | - | 0.97 (1.13) | - | - |
| Euro 2 | 1996.01 | 2.2 | - | 0.5 | - | - |
| Euro 3 | 2000.01 | 2.30 | 0.20 | - | 0.15 | - |
| Euro 4 | 2005.01 | 1.0 | 0.10 | - | 0.08 | - |
| Euro 5 | 2009.09b | 1.0 | 0.10c | - | 0.06 | 0.005d,e |
| Euro 6 | 2014.09 | 1.0 | 0.10c | - | 0.06 | 0.005d,e |
|
* At the Euro 1..4 stages, passenger vehicles > 2,500 kg were type approved as Category N1 vehicles † Values in brackets are conformity of production (COP) limits a - until 1999.09.30 (after that date DI engines must meet the IDI limits) b - 2011.01 for all models c - and NMHC = 0.068 g/km d - applicable only to vehicles using DI engines e - 0.0045 g/km using the PMP measurement procedure |
||||||
| Category† | Tier | Date | CO | HC | HC+NOx | NOx | PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compression Ignition (Diesel) | |||||||
| N1, Class I ≤1305 kg |
Euro 1 | 1994.10 | 2.72 | - | 0.97 | - | 0.14 |
| Euro 2, IDI | 1998.01 | 1.0 | - | 0.70 | - | 0.08 | |
| Euro 2, DI | 1998.01a | 1.0 | - | 0.90 | - | 0.10 | |
| Euro 3 | 2000.01 | 0.64 | - | 0.56 | 0.50 | 0.05 | |
| Euro 4 | 2005.01 | 0.50 | - | 0.30 | 0.25 | 0.025 | |
| Euro 5 | 2009.09b | 0.50 | - | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.005e | |
| Euro 6 | 2014.09 | 0.50 | - | 0.17 | 0.08 | 0.005e | |
| N1, Class II 1305-1760 kg |
Euro 1 | 1994.10 | 5.17 | - | 1.40 | - | 0.19 |
| Euro 2, IDI | 1998.01 | 1.25 | - | 1.0 | - | 0.12 | |
| Euro 2, DI | 1998.01a | 1.25 | - | 1.30 | - | 0.14 | |
| Euro 3 | 2001.01 | 0.80 | - | 0.72 | 0.65 | 0.07 | |
| Euro 4 | 2006.01 | 0.63 | - | 0.39 | 0.33 | 0.04 | |
| Euro 5 | 2010.09c | 0.63 | - | 0.295 | 0.235 | 0.005e | |
| Euro 6 | 2015.09 | 0.63 | - | 0.195 | 0.105 | 0.005e | |
| N1, Class III >1760 kg |
Euro 1 | 1994.10 | 6.90 | - | 1.70 | - | 0.25 |
| Euro 2, IDI | 1998.01 | 1.5 | - | 1.20 | - | 0.17 | |
| Euro 2, DI | 1998.01a | 1.5 | - | 1.60 | - | 0.20 | |
| Euro 3 | 2001.01 | 0.95 | - | 0.86 | 0.78 | 0.10 | |
| Euro 4 | 2006.01 | 0.74 | - | 0.46 | 0.39 | 0.06 | |
| Euro 5 | 2010.09c | 0.74 | - | 0.350 | 0.280 | 0.005e | |
| Euro 6 | 2015.09 | 0.74 | - | 0.215 | 0.125 | 0.005e | |
| N2 | Euro 5 | 2010.09c | 0.74 | - | 0.350 | 0.280 | 0.005e |
| Euro 6 | 2015.09 | 0.74 | - | 0.215 | 0.125 | 0.005e | |
| Positive Ignition (Gasoline) | |||||||
| N1, Class I ≤1305 kg |
Euro 1 | 1994.10 | 2.72 | - | 0.97 | - | - |
| Euro 2 | 1998.01 | 2.2 | - | 0.50 | - | - | |
| Euro 3 | 2000.01 | 2.3 | 0.20 | - | 0.15 | - | |
| Euro 4 | 2005.01 | 1.0 | 0.1 | - | 0.08 | - | |
| Euro 5 | 2009.09b | 1.0 | 0.10f | - | 0.06 | 0.005d,e | |
| Euro 6 | 2014.09 | 1.0 | 0.10f | - | 0.06 | 0.005d,e | |
| N1, Class II 1305-1760 kg |
Euro 1 | 1994.10 | 5.17 | - | 1.40 | - | - |
| Euro 2 | 1998.01 | 4.0 | - | 0.65 | - | - | |
| Euro 3 | 2001.01 | 4.17 | 0.25 | - | 0.18 | - | |
| Euro 4 | 2006.01 | 1.81 | 0.13 | - | 0.10 | - | |
| Euro 5 | 2010.09c | 1.81 | 0.13g | - | 0.075 | 0.005d,e | |
| Euro 6 | 2015.09 | 1.81 | 0.13g | - | 0.075 | 0.005d,e | |
| N1, Class III >1760 kg |
Euro 1 | 1994.10 | 6.90 | - | 1.70 | - | - |
| Euro 2 | 1998.01 | 5.0 | - | 0.80 | - | - | |
| Euro 3 | 2001.01 | 5.22 | 0.29 | - | 0.21 | - | |
| Euro 4 | 2006.01 | 2.27 | 0.16 | - | 0.11 | - | |
| Euro 5 | 2010.09c | 2.27 | 0.16h | - | 0.082 | 0.005d,e | |
| Euro 6 | 2015.09 | 2.27 | 0.16h | - | 0.082 | 0.005d,e | |
| N2 | Euro 5 | 2010.09c | 2.27 | 0.16h | - | 0.082 | 0.005d,e |
| Euro 6 | 2015.09 | 2.27 | 0.16h | - | 0.082 | 0.005d,e | |
|
† For Euro 1/2 the Category N1 reference mass classes were Class I ≤ 1250 kg, Class II 1250-1700 kg, Class III > 1700 kg. a - until 1999.09.30 (after that date DI engines must meet the IDI limits) b - 2011.01 for all models c - 2012.01 for all models d - applicable only to vehicles using DI engines e - 0.0045 g/km using the PMP measurement procedure f - and NMHC = 0.068 g/km g - and NMHC = 0.090 g/km h - and NMHC = 0.108 g/km | |||||||
Particle Number Emissions. A particle number emission limit of 6 × 1011 km-1 (PMP method, NEDC test) becomes effective at the Euro 5/6 stage for all categories of diesel vehicles (M, N1, N2). The particle number limit must be met in addition to the PM mass emission limits listed in the above tables.
A particle number emission limit for gasoline vehicles is to be defined by 1 September 2014.
Durability. Useful vehicle life for the purpose of emission regulations is:
- Euro 3 stage—80,000 km or 5 years (whichever occurs first); in lieu of an actual deterioration run, manufacturers may use the following deterioration factors:
- Positive ignition: 1.2 for CO, HC, NOx
- Compression ignition: 1.1 for CO, NOx, HC+NOx and 1.2 for PM
- Euro 4 stage—100,000 km or 5 years, whichever occurs first.
- Euro 5/6 stage—in-service conformity: 100,000 km or 5 years; durability testing of pollution control devices for type approval: 160,000 km or 5 years (whichever occurs first); in lieu of a durability test, manufacturers may use the following deterioration factors:
- Positive ignition: 1.5 for CO, 1.3 for HC, 1.6 for NOx, 1.0 for PM
- Compression ignition, Euro 5: 1.5 for CO, 1.1 for NOx, HC+NOx and 1.0 for PM; Euro 6 deterioration factors to be determined.
Other Provisions. The regulations include several additional provisions, such as:
- EU Member States may introduce tax incentives for early introduction of vehicles that comply with future emission standards.
- Requirement for low temperature emission test (-7°C) for gasoline vehicles effective 2002 [Directive 2001/100/EC]. The limits for cars are 15 g/km for CO and 1.8 g/km for HC, measured over the urban part of the test only.
- Onboard diagnostic (OBD) requirements for emission systems.