How to Distinguish the Symbols for National Emission Standards?
4 Answers
It's actually quite simple to distinguish the national emission standard of a vehicle—it's represented by Roman numerals: I–1, II-2, III-3, IV-4, V-5, VI-6, VII-7… 'V' stands for five. If 'I' is to the left of 'V', it means five minus one (IV). If 'I' is to the right of 'V', it means five plus one (VI). The symbols for National Standards 1 to 6 are I, II, III, IV, V, and VI, respectively. On July 1, 2000, China introduced the National Standard 1 emission regulations for the first time. Since it was based on European emission standards and aligned with international norms, Roman numerals were adopted for the symbols from National Standard 1 to 6. New emission standards have been introduced every few years since then.
When I bought a used car before, I specifically researched how to distinguish emission symbols. Simply put, China I to China VI are represented by Roman numerals. You can see a small Roman numeral in the upper right corner of the vehicle's environmental protection label, which indicates the emission standard. China I is I, China II is II, and so on. China V is V, and China VI is VI. Additionally, there's a little trick: the 10th letter of the VIN can help determine the standard. For cars produced after 2010, L represents China IV, M is China V, and N onwards is basically China VI. Checking the supplementary page of the vehicle license is also clear—it will directly state China IV, China V, etc. When buying a new car, pay attention to the certificate of conformity: GB18352.5 represents China V, and GB18352.6 is China VI. I remember last year when I helped my cousin look at a car, he was almost tricked by a dealer trying to pass off a China V car as China VI—it was by checking these symbols that we saw through the scam.
As a seasoned driver with over a decade of experience, I mainly rely on three locations to identify the China emission standard symbols. First is the environmental protection label on the windshield - the blue circle with white text uses uppercase Roman numerals at its center to indicate the emission level, such as Ⅳ for China IV or Ⅴ for China V. Second is the metal plate in the engine compartment, which clearly states the standard like 'China Ⅴ' in the emissions section. Don't forget the vehicle conformity certificate either - the emission standard is printed at the bottom of the first page. If these documents are missing, don't panic. Simply scan the vehicle information QR code on the infotainment screen - most new cars now have electronic records available. Last week, my neighbor verified a used car was China VI compliant by checking the Ⅵ symbol on the metal plate, avoiding transfer complications.
When repairing cars, I often need to check emission standard symbols. The most straightforward way is to look at the vehicle nameplate on the door frame, where the emission level is marked with uppercase Roman numerals indicating the national standard, such as Ⅴ for China 5 and Ⅵ for China 6. Don’t overlook the environmental supplement either—the third item in the vehicle parameter table lists the emission standard. If buying a used car, always ask the owner to provide the environmental information sheet that comes with the vehicle; the bold text at the top will show symbols like China Ⅳ or China Ⅴ. If you’re still unsure, remember this rhyme: China 1 is Ⅰ, China 2 is Ⅱ, three hammers for Ⅲ, four crosses for Ⅳ, five angles for Ⅴ, and double crosses for Ⅵ.
