What are the differences between China 5 and China 6 vehicles?

[DeCameron]

The differences between China 5 and China 6 emission standards are as follows: Different emission standards: The China 6 emission standard is more than 30% stricter than China 5. Excluding the influence of working conditions and testing, gasoline vehicles' carbon monoxide emissions are reduced by 50%, total hydrocarbons and non-methane hydrocarbons emissions are reduced by 50%, and nitrogen oxide emissions are reduced by 42%; Different implementation times: The China 5 standard was implemented nationwide on January 1, 2017, as the fifth phase of the national motor vehicle emission standard. China 6 was implemented from July 1, 2019; Different principles: During the China 5 phase, diesel and gasoline vehicles had different emission standards, but China 6 adopts a fuel-neutral principle, meaning the emission limits are the same regardless of the fuel type. Different issuing departments: The China 5 standard was issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection; the China 6 standard was issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine. Different letter representations: China 5 is represented by "V"; China 6 is represented by "VI". Different monitoring requirements for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: Compared to China 5, China 6 has improved monitoring requirements for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, including regulations on energy storage systems, thermal management systems, brake regeneration, drive motors, generators, etc. Different prices: China 6 vehicles are equipped with additional components compared to China 5 vehicles. Moreover, automobile manufacturers face additional costs from vehicle declaration, various tests, and production, resulting in China 6 vehicles being significantly more expensive than China 5 vehicles. Different scrapping timelines: Although the country has abolished the scrapping age limit, older vehicles may be banned from roads, effectively equivalent to scrapping. For example, a China 5 vehicle and a China 6 vehicle purchased in January 2019 may both have a 15-year registration period, but their actual usage will differ. For instance, as of now, 2010 China 3 and China 4 vehicles can still operate in Beijing, but with more cities banning older vehicles, many are effectively scrapped. Thus, even for vehicles of the same year, the timelines differ. China 5 emission limits are as follows: Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 1,000 mg of carbon monoxide per kilometer driven. Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 68 mg of non-methane hydrocarbons per kilometer driven. Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 60 mg of nitrogen oxides per kilometer driven. Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 4.5 mg of PM fine particles per kilometer driven. China 6 has two standards: China 6a and China 6b, as follows: China 6a emission limits: Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 700 mg of carbon monoxide per kilometer driven. Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 68 mg of non-methane hydrocarbons per kilometer driven. Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 60 mg of nitrogen oxides per kilometer driven. Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 4.5 mg of PM fine particles per kilometer driven. China 6b emission limits: Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 500 mg of carbon monoxide per kilometer driven. Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 35 mg of non-methane hydrocarbons per kilometer driven. Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 35 mg of nitrogen oxides per kilometer driven. Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 3 mg of PM fine particles per kilometer driven. Affected by the China 6 emission policy, although China 5 vehicles currently do not face usage restrictions or traffic bans, their resale value will be significantly impacted. For car owners, if they purchase a truck on loan for cargo transport, the vehicle's depreciation after paying off the loan represents the net profit during that period. Higher residual value means more profit for the owner. Therefore, from this perspective, China 6 vehicles, with longer usability and more road rights, offer greater advantages.

[LeRhett]

As an average car owner, I carefully compared the differences between China 5 and China 6 emission standards when changing cars. China 6 vehicles have much stricter emission standards, significantly reducing pollutants like nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which helps improve air quality. However, the initial purchase price is 10,000 to 20,000 RMB higher than China 5 models. In daily driving, China 6 cars have slightly better fuel efficiency due to new technologies like gasoline particulate filters (GPF), delivering smoother performance. Although China 5 cars are cheaper, major cities like Beijing and Shanghai now restrict their license plate registration, and their resale value depreciates faster. Maintenance-wise, China 6 systems are more complex with higher servicing costs and are more prone to triggering warning alerts. Long-term, choosing China 6 is more cost-effective, especially as policies tighten—it holds value better and avoids travel restrictions. Personally, I find breathing easier in city traffic after switching to a China 6 vehicle.