What is the difference between China V and China VI?
2 Answers
The difference between China V and China VI can be summarized in one sentence: China VI has higher tailpipe emission standards than China V. Of course, China VI is further divided into China VI a and China VI b. The transition from China V to China VI a in terms of emission standards only involves a difference in carbon monoxide emissions, which decreased from 1000mg/km to 700mg/km, a reduction rate of 30%. As for the China VI B standard, carbon monoxide emissions are reduced by 50% compared to China V, and other pollutants have also been significantly reduced.
I remember when the China VI emission standards were implemented, as someone who frequently follows auto shows, I felt the changes were quite noticeable. China V was like the old threshold, with relatively lenient pollutant limits, mainly controlling carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, while China VI is much stricter. For example, it added particulate filters to exhaust systems, which can help reduce smog. From a technical perspective, China VI-compliant vehicles require both software and hardware upgrades, making them less prone to issues compared to China V vehicles and resulting in cleaner emissions during operation. Nowadays, when buying a new car, the China VIb phase even tests real driving emissions, which better reflects actual road conditions, unlike China V, which was only tested in labs. If you live in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, where license plate policies are stricter, China V vehicles might not be eligible for direct registration, so opting for a China VI-compliant car would save you trouble and likely offer better resale value in the future. Personally, I think this change is good for the environment. Although it puts pressure on automakers, the long-term benefit is cleaner air.
