What is the difference between China 6 and China 5 vehicles?
2 Answers
There is no prominent distinguishing mark between China 5 and China 6 vehicles, with the difference mainly reflected in the tailpipe emission limit standards. The following aspects can be used to differentiate between China 5 and China 6: 1. Different emission limits: For light-duty vehicle emission limits, the country has formulated two levels of requirements for China 6a and China 6b stages. China 6a is equivalent to a transitional phase between China 5 and China 6, while China 6b represents the true China 6 emission standard. China 6 adopts a fuel-neutral principle, meaning the emission limits are the same regardless of the fuel type used. In contrast, during the China 5 stage, diesel and gasoline vehicles had different emission standards. 2. Price difference: China 6 vehicles are equipped with richer configurations compared to China 5 vehicles. Additionally, automakers bear the extra costs associated with vehicle declaration testing and production, resulting in higher prices for China 6 vehicles than China 5 vehicles. 3. Different decommissioning timelines: Although the country has abolished the decommissioning age limit, it prohibits older vehicles from being driven on the road, which is equivalent to decommissioning. For example, 2010 China 3 trucks and 2010 China 4 trucks can still operate in Beijing, but as more cities impose driving bans, many older vehicles are effectively decommissioned. Therefore, even for vehicles of the same year, there will be differences in their operational timelines.
I'm always fascinated by the technical details of cars, and the difference between China 6 and China 5 mainly lies in emission standards. China 6 is significantly stricter than China 5. For example, the nitrogen oxide limit drops from 100mg/km under China 5 to 60mg/km under China 6, and particulate matter is also halved. China 6 additionally introduces real-driving emission tests, unlike China 5 which only conducted lab tests, making it more reflective of actual road conditions. This means China 6 vehicles require more equipment, such as gasoline particulate filters (GPF) for petrol cars or more efficient catalyst systems for diesel vehicles. These improvements can reduce pollutant emissions by over half, significantly benefiting air quality. However, the increased technical complexity may lead to higher maintenance costs, and repair shops need specialized diagnostic tools. Comparing specific model parameters, I've found that optimized China 6 engines don't compromise acceleration performance—in fact, some vehicles show slightly improved fuel economy. Overall, China 6 represents a necessary environmental upgrade, but buyers should weigh the technology against costs when choosing vehicles.
