What does China 5 and China 6 mean for vehicles?
3 Answers
China 5 and China 6 refer to the national standards for vehicle exhaust emission testing. There are certain differences between the China 5 emission standard and the China 6 emission standard. The China 6 testing standard increases the difficulty of exhaust emission testing compared to the China 5 standard, with more stringent limits on the emission of CO, THC, NMHC, NOX, and PM, and introduces new regulations on PN emissions. The China 6 motor vehicle pollutant emission standard is established to implement environmental protection laws, reduce and prevent environmental pollution from vehicle exhaust, protect the ecological environment, and ensure human health.
Simply put, China's National 5 and National 6 standards are our country's regulations on vehicle exhaust emissions. I guess you might be considering buying a car or curious about why there are more and more National 6-compliant vehicles on the road. The National 5 standard was the older requirement, implemented around 2017, with looser limits on pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. The now-popular National 6 standard is much stricter, introduced in 2020, with two phases—National 6a and National 6b—significantly reducing PM2.5 and harmful gases for cleaner air. Near my home, there are many factories, and we used to have frequent smoggy days. Since the widespread adoption of National 6, air quality has indeed improved. When buying a car, you need to pay attention to this standard, especially in cities like Beijing and Shanghai, where National 6 is already mandatory for vehicle registration—otherwise, you might not be able to drive in urban areas. National 5 cars depreciate quickly in the second-hand market, so they're not recommended for new purchases. From an environmental perspective, National 6 is beneficial. Aligning with the national push for new energy vehicles, I think it’s wiser and more cost-effective for us as car owners to choose National 6.
As a veteran driver with over 20 years of experience, I must tell you that China 5 and China 6 are essentially major upgrades in vehicle emission standards. Looking back, those China 3 and China 4 vehicles from earlier years often emitted black smoke, were noisy to drive, and weren't environmentally friendly. China 5 made its debut in 2017 with slightly higher limits, but was soon surpassed by China 6. The China 6 standard comes in two versions, a and b, and after its implementation in 2020, it strictly required reductions in pollutant emissions. I've personally noticed a significant difference driving China 6 vehicles—the exhaust is cleaner, and the acceleration is smoother. If you're buying a new car now, definitely avoid China 5 models because many places won't register them—cities like Guangzhou and Shenzhen only accept China 6. In the used car market, China 5 vehicles depreciate quickly; a friend of mine took a huge loss selling his at half the price. Overall, these policies drive progress in the automotive industry, and cleaner air benefits all of us.
