What is the difference between China 5 and China 6 vehicles?
2 Answers
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. The China 6 standard has been implemented since 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 vehicles: Compared to China 5, China 6 has improved monitoring requirements for plug-in hybrid vehicles, including energy storage systems, thermal management systems, brake regeneration, drive motors, generators, and other regulations. Different prices: China 6 vehicles are equipped with additional components compared to China 5 vehicles. Additionally, automakers incur extra costs from vehicle declaration, testing, and production, resulting in significantly higher prices for China 6 vehicles. Different scrapping timelines: Although the government has abolished the scrapping age limit, older vehicles may be banned from roads, effectively rendering them scrapped. For example, a China 5 vehicle purchased in January 2019 and a China 6 vehicle purchased at the same time may both have a 15-year registration period, but their actual usage will differ. For instance, China 3 and China 4 vehicles from 2010 can still operate in Beijing, but as more cities impose restrictions, many older vehicles become practically scrapped. Thus, even for vehicles of the same age, the usable lifespan differs. China 5 emission limits are as follows: Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 1,000 mg of carbon monoxide per kilometer driven. Non-methane hydrocarbons must not exceed 68 mg per kilometer. Nitrogen oxides must not exceed 60 mg per kilometer. PM fine particulate matter must not exceed 4.5 mg per kilometer. China 6 has two standards: China 6a and China 6b. The limits are as follows: China 6a emission limits: Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 700 mg of carbon monoxide per kilometer. Non-methane hydrocarbons must not exceed 68 mg per kilometer. Nitrogen oxides must not exceed 60 mg per kilometer. PM fine particulate matter must not exceed 4.5 mg per kilometer. China 6b emission limits: Gasoline vehicles must not emit more than 500 mg of carbon monoxide per kilometer. Non-methane hydrocarbons must not exceed 35 mg per kilometer. Nitrogen oxides must not exceed 35 mg per kilometer. PM fine particulate matter must not exceed 3 mg per kilometer. Due to the China 6 emission policy, although China 5 vehicles are not currently restricted from normal use, their resale value will be significantly affected. For truck owners, if they finance a truck for cargo transport, the vehicle's depreciation after repaying the loan represents their net profit during that period. A higher residual value means more profit. From this perspective, China 6 vehicles, with longer usability and more road access, offer greater advantages.
From the perspective of working in an automotive factory, the difference between China 5 and China 6 vehicles primarily lies in the stricter emission standards. China 6 is an upgraded version of China 5, requiring vehicles to emit significantly lower levels of pollutants, such as nearly halving the limits for carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. This means manufacturers need to incorporate additional technologies, like installing particulate filters to control pollution. I've seen some test data showing that China 6 vehicles perform more stably in simulated real-world driving conditions, unlike China 5 vehicles which often barely meet the standards. Cost-wise, China 6 vehicles might be a few thousand yuan more expensive at purchase, but they are more environmentally friendly in the long run and can also reduce fuel expenses. Nowadays, many cities only accept China 6 vehicles for new registrations, so buyers need to be cautious about the depreciation issues of China 5 vehicles when purchasing used cars.
