What does China V and China VI vehicles mean?
3 Answers
China V and China VI vehicles refer to the national standards for vehicle exhaust emission testing. Here are the relevant introductions: 1. There are certain differences between the China V emission standard and the China VI emission standard. 2. The China VI testing standard increases the difficulty of exhaust emission testing compared to the China V standard, and introduces new regulations for the emission standards of newly manufactured vehicles. 3. The China VI standard adds an OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) system check. If the vehicle's fault light is on or fault codes are detected in the engine system, it will be deemed unqualified and unable to pass the annual inspection. 4. The China VI standard adds checks for the readiness status of the engine system, such as whether the oxygen sensor is in the ready state or whether the three-way catalytic converter is in the ready state. If none of these are in the ready state, the vehicle will not pass. 5. The China V regulation uses the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) for both emission and fuel consumption tests. The China VI regulation still uses the NEDC as the fuel consumption test cycle but adopts the stricter WLTC (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Cycle) as the emission test cycle.
China V and China VI refer to the vehicle emission standards implemented in China, with China V being the National Phase 5 standard and China VI being the stricter Phase 6 version. Simply put, these are government-imposed limits on pollutant emissions from new vehicles aimed at reducing air pollution. I remember when China V was implemented a few years ago, many regions suffered from severe smog. Now with China VI in place, pollution has significantly decreased. As an ordinary car owner, I've noticed that China VI vehicles are equipped with more advanced filters in the exhaust system, such as DPF to handle particulate matter, making emissions cleaner—especially in major cities like Beijing and Shanghai where air quality improvements are noticeable. Choosing China VI-compliant vehicles helps the environment, though they cost more initially; long-term fuel and maintenance expenses remain similar. I recommend new car buyers pay attention to this standard to avoid purchasing older models that might be affected by traffic restriction policies. The current popularity of electric vehicles is partly due to China VI increasing the cost of gasoline cars, but from an environmental perspective, these upgrades are necessary.
When you hear terms like China 5 and China 6 while car shopping, they actually refer to vehicle emission standards. The key difference is that China 6 imposes stricter requirements with lower pollutant limits. As someone who frequently helps friends choose cars, I've noticed that China 5 vehicles were mostly launched around 2017, while since 2019, new cars have basically all met China 6 standards. When buying used cars, it's important to distinguish between them - China 5 models might be cheaper, but China 6 vehicles retain their value better. In daily use, China 6 cars are more particular about fuel quality, requiring higher-grade gasoline, but this helps reduce nitrogen oxide emissions and is more environmentally friendly. Personally, I think the policy implementation has been quite effective, with strict enforcement in first- and second-tier cities, while smaller towns adopted it slightly later. Overall, choosing a new China 6-compliant vehicle is a wise decision - it's both hassle-free and aligns with environmental initiatives.
