What is the equivalent Chinese emission standard for Euro 3?
3 Answers
Euro 3 emission standard is equivalent to China's National III emission standard. The National III emission standard is the abbreviation for the third phase of China's national emission standards. Vehicle emissions refer to harmful gases discharged from exhaust, including CO (carbon monoxide), HC plus NOx (hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides), PM (particulates, soot), etc., all of which are harmful gases produced during engine combustion. The European standards are implemented through the emission regulations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) and the emission directives of the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC is now the European Union (EU), where emission regulations are voluntarily recognized by ECE member countries, while emission directives are mandatory for EEC or EU member countries.
After checking the information, I found that the Euro 3 standard is actually equivalent to China's National III emission standard. I remember it was implemented around 2008, which was considered a major upgrade at the time. Previously, vehicles meeting National II often failed emission tests, but after switching to National III, the standards became significantly stricter. However, it's worth noting that while the concepts correspond, the testing methods differ slightly. If your car is an imported Euro 3 vehicle, the inspection results might vary somewhat compared to domestically produced National III vehicles. Nowadays, many cities restrict National III vehicles from entering urban areas. In places like Beijing and Shanghai, National III diesel vehicles are basically banned from entering within the Fifth Ring Road.
From the experience of inspection stations, Euro 3 basically corresponds to China III standards. This standard is quite crucial because starting from China III, all new vehicles are required to be equipped with OBD systems, which are the onboard diagnostic systems that monitor exhaust emissions. I've seen many older vehicles fail their annual inspections due to excessive emissions caused by aging exhaust pipes. A special reminder for diesel vehicle owners: Euro 3/China III vehicles now face difficulties with urea addition, and it's only after China IV that the process becomes more manageable. If you're buying an imported used car, you need to check carefully, as some Euro 3 vehicles may actually have slightly higher emissions than China III standards.
