When will the China VI policy be implemented?
2 Answers
The China VI standard will be officially implemented on July 1, 2023. The China VI standard is divided into two phases, a and b. Starting from July 1, 2019 at the earliest, all light-duty vehicles sold and registered must comply with China VI. The requirements for the two phases are as follows: 1. Phase a requirement: By July 1, 2023 at the latest, all light-duty vehicles sold and registered must comply with China VI. 2. Phase b limit requirement: This means that China VI a can only be considered a transitional phase, while China VI b is the true China VI phase. Note: Currently, some regions have implemented the China VI emission standard ahead of schedule. For example, Guangzhou implemented the China VI emission standard for light-duty gasoline and diesel vehicles starting from March 1, 2019; Shenzhen required light-duty diesel vehicles to comply with the China VI standard from July 1, 2018, and light-duty gasoline vehicles to comply with the China VI standard from July 1, 2019.
I remember vividly that the China 6 emission standards were implemented in phases. The first batch of cities adopted China 6a as early as July 2019, with key regions like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou skipping the transition period entirely. Nationwide mandatory enforcement of China 6a started in July 2020, and by this July, the entire country had upgraded to the stricter China 6b standard. People used to ask me whether they could still buy China 5 used cars—now it really depends on the registration policies of the destination city. The implementation pace varies significantly across regions, so it's best to check the latest notices from the local vehicle management office before purchasing. Don't just look at the manufacturing date, as many automakers switched production lines six months or more in advance.
