What is the Chinese equivalent of Euro VI emission standards?
2 Answers
Euro VI emission standards are equivalent to China VIa (National 6a) standards, but lower than China VIb (National 6b) standards. Currently, China has divided the National 6 standard into two phases: National 6a and National 6b, which were uniformly implemented nationwide in 2020 and 2023 respectively. The implementation of the National 6 standard imposes stricter requirements on pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons. The China VI Motor Vehicle Pollutant Emission Standard refers to the standard formulated to implement the Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China and the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law of the People's Republic of China, aiming to prevent and control environmental pollution caused by exhaust emissions from compression-ignition and gas-fueled spark-ignition engine vehicles, protect the ecological environment, and safeguard human health.
Last time I changed my car, I paid special attention to the emission standards because I heard that the Euro VI standard is quite environmentally friendly, so I asked the technician at the 4S dealership. Euro VI is the European emission standard, equivalent to China's National VI standard, especially the National VIb phase which is even closer. From what I understand, both require vehicles to reduce NOx and PM emissions. For example, the exhaust test values for National VI vehicles are basically the same as those for Euro VI. Nowadays, it's crucial to pay attention to this when buying a car because many cities in China mandate that only vehicles meeting National VI or above can be registered and driven on the road. Otherwise, they won't pass the annual inspection and you'll have to spend a fortune on repairs. I've driven a National V car before, and the exhaust fumes were quite strong. After upgrading, the air quality has indeed improved a bit. I recommend checking the emission certificate when buying a used or imported car to confirm if it meets National VI standards, so you don't end up with a non-compliant headache. Environmental regulations are getting stricter, which is good, but we also need to be cautious.
