What does China 5 and China 6 mean for vehicles?
2 Answers
China 5 and China 6 refer to vehicle emission standards. The differences between China 5 and China 6 are as follows: 1. The China 6 emission standard is an upgraded version of the current China 5 standard, imposing stricter limits on emissions of CO (carbon monoxide), THC (total hydrocarbons), NMHC (non-methane hydrocarbons), NOX (nitrogen oxides), and PM (particulate matter) compared to China 5. 2. China 6 also introduces new regulations on PN (particulate number) emissions. According to estimates, under the China 6 standard, light gasoline vehicles will see a reduction of approximately 50% in emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, non-methane total hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides compared to the China 5 phase, with particulate emissions reduced by about 40%. For heavy-duty diesel vehicles, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter will be reduced by more than 60% compared to the China 5 phase. 3. In addition to stricter emission requirements, the cold-start test cycle has been adjusted from the NEDC cycle in China 5 to the WLTC cycle in China 6, resulting in an increase in actual emissions. The dual-idle test will be changed to an actual driving emissions (RDE) test starting from July 1, 2023, leading to higher tailpipe emissions. Given that vehicle emissions account for 20% to 40% of air pollution in major cities, implementing China 6 can significantly improve urban air quality by more than 10%.
China's National 5 and National 6 are actually our country's emission standard codes, like giving cars an environmental performance score. National 5 was fully implemented in 2017, requiring carbon monoxide and particulate matter in exhaust emissions to be half that of National 4; National 6 is even stricter, divided into Phase A in 2019 and Phase B in 2023, with nitrogen oxide emissions cut by another 40%. When I was changing cars, I specifically researched this—now most new cars sold are National 6B compliant. The benefits include not only less pollution but also unrestricted city access in some areas. Owners of older National 5 vehicles don’t need to panic, just ensure timely annual inspections, though long-term resale value may be affected. Friends planning to buy used cars should check the environmental label—registering a National 5 vehicle could face restrictions in some cities.
