
China National V emission standard vehicles started production in 2012, and the fifth stage national motor vehicle emission standard was implemented nationwide from January 1, 2017. The emission control level of China National V standard is equivalent to the European Euro 5 emission standard currently in force. Below is an introduction to China National V: 1. China National V vehicles refer to those that comply with the 'National Fifth Stage Motor Vehicle Pollutant Emission Standard'. The motor vehicle pollutant emission standard was established to implement environmental protection laws, reduce and prevent vehicle exhaust pollution to the environment, protect the ecological environment, and ensure human health. 2. The European Union has been implementing this standard since 2009, which imposes stricter limits on motor vehicle emissions such as nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and suspended particles. From China National I to China National IV, each upgrade in the standard reduces single-vehicle pollution by 30% to 50%. 3. Shortly after the implementation of China National V standard, China National VI standard was quickly put on the agenda. Many regions implemented China National VI standard ahead of schedule. Taking Guangdong Province as an example, from July 1, 2019, newly registered vehicles in Guangdong must comply with China National VI emission standard. At that time, only China National VI standard new vehicles were available on the market, and vehicles transferred from other regions must also meet the China National VI standard.

I remember paying special attention to the China 5 emission standard when my first car in 2017. The nationwide implementation of this new regulation officially started on January 1, 2017. At that time, the 4S store salesperson told me that remaining China 4 standard vehicles in inventory could no longer be registered. Actually, major cities like Beijing and Shanghai had already begun pilot programs as early as 2015, but the nationwide unified implementation was at this time point. Nowadays, we see more and more new energy vehicles on the road, and the emission standards have been upgraded from China 5 to China 6. When buying a car, it's still essential to check the environmental protection label, as it directly affects whether the vehicle can pass the annual inspection.

In our auto repair shop, 2017 was a turning point. Before that, many customers came in for with National IV vehicles, but after the new year, newly registered vehicles were mostly National V. Once, while helping a car owner with an emissions test, I found that his car, purchased at the end of 2016, actually had a National V label. Upon asking, I learned that cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen had indeed implemented the standard earlier. Nowadays, the most dreaded issue when repairing cars is the emission system warning light coming on, as the repair bills can be shockingly high. If a National V car is still in good condition now, its resale price would be higher than that of a National IV vehicle.

After checking the information, it was confirmed that the nationwide implementation of China V emission standards for light gasoline vehicles took place in January 2017. I remember the environmental department's announcement at that time stating this standard was even stricter than Euro V, with a 25% reduction in carbon monoxide emission limits for new vehicles. My relative bought a car that year, and dealerships were desperately clearing China IV inventory with huge discounts. Looking back now, it's quite remarkable how emission standards upgrade every few years, pushing automakers to improve technology and requiring us mechanics to continuously learn new knowledge.

I remember clearly that after New Year's Day 2017, all newly produced passenger cars had to comply with China V emission standards. That year, I accompanied a friend to the DMV for license plate registration, where staff members checked each vehicle's environmental compliance list one by one. Early China V compliant vehicles were prone to catalytic converter clogging issues after prolonged use, and now our shop receives several orders for catalytic converter replacements every month. The stricter the emission standards become, the more complex the exhaust system gets, naturally driving up costs.

At that year's auto show, I heard engineers mention that the China 5 emission standards were fully implemented in 2017. Interestingly, the enforcement timeline for diesel vehicles was slightly later, not starting until 2018. Many light trucks on the road today still comply with the China 5 diesel standards. Last time when helping a logistics company inspect their fleet, we found China 5 diesel vehicles were about 5% more fuel-efficient than China 4 models, but the DPF particulate filters frequently triggered warnings. Each carbon deposit cleaning costs over 2,000 yuan.


