In which year did China IV vehicles begin?
2 Answers
China IV vehicles began on July 1, 2011. The China 4 emission standard was implemented in 2011 and lasted until 2018 when the China 5 standard was introduced. Vehicles produced between 2011 and 2017 all adhered to the China 4 standard. The China 4 standard required a reduction of approximately 50% in the emission of various pollutants compared to the China 3 standard. The reason for frequent updates to emission standards is due to the increasing number of vehicles on the road, which has led to a growing impact of vehicle exhaust on environmental pollution. Vehicle exhaust contains harmful gases such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, and emission standards are established to limit the discharge of these gases.
I remember the nationwide implementation of China IV vehicle standards started in 2011, the very year I changed my car. Many friends were discussing the benefits of the new standards. Older vehicles had higher emissions and caused severe air pollution, but the China IV standard raised environmental requirements, mandating that new cars be equipped with more advanced catalytic converters to reduce carbon monoxide and particulate emissions. Some major cities had piloted the standard earlier—Beijing implemented it as early as 2008—but the nationwide rollout was in July 2011. I bought a China IV-compliant sedan at the time and did notice smoother power delivery and slightly better fuel efficiency. Later, the national standards progressively tightened, with China V being even stricter, but the China IV transition period was crucial—it helped drive automotive technology upgrades and raised public awareness about exhaust emission control. Checking the environmental rating on a vehicle’s compliance label is a practical way to confirm its standard, which is also useful when selecting used cars.
