How to Distinguish Whether a Vehicle is China III, China IV, or China V?
2 Answers
Methods to distinguish whether a vehicle is China III, China IV, or China V include: 1. The vehicle's factory certificate clearly indicates the standard; 2. Check the engine emission label; 3. The annual inspection label clearly indicates the standard; 4. Visit the Motor Vehicle Environmental Protection Website, enter the engine number and manufacturer name for new vehicle certification, and search for the vehicle's certification announcement, which explicitly states the emission standard. China III, China IV, and China V are common terms for China's various stages of vehicle emission standards. China III refers to the third stage of China's vehicle emission standards, which upgraded and modified the engine and exhaust system to reduce pollutant emissions, added vehicle self-diagnosis systems, and improved the three-way catalytic converter. China IV is the fourth stage of China's vehicle emission standards, which upgraded the post-emission treatment system compared to China III, reducing pollutant emissions by 50% to 60%. China V is the fifth stage of China's vehicle emission standards, imposing stricter limits on vehicle emissions such as nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. Compared to China IV, the China V standard requires a 25% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions and adds emission limits for non-methane hydrocarbons and PM, further reducing atmospheric pollution.
I've driven several used cars before, and the key to distinguishing between China III, China IV, and China V standards lies in checking a few key areas. The manufacturing year is the simplest clue - China III vehicles were mainly produced between 2005 and 2011, China IV between 2011 and 2017, and China V became mainstream after 2017. In practice, I first check the vehicle's registration certificate or license document, which usually clearly indicates the emission standard code, such as CN3 or GB18352.3 for China III. Another reliable method is to look at the emission information on the door frame nameplate or engine compartment label. If you're unfamiliar with these, you can also scan the 17-digit VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) - the 10th digit indicates the year code. I once used this method when buying a used car, which helped me avoid purchasing a high-pollution model. Overall, thorough documentation checks will prevent any issues.