Which Cities Have Implemented China 6 Emission Standards?
4 Answers
The provinces and cities implementing China 6 standards include Hebei, Henan, Hainan, Chongqing, Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shandong, and Shaanxi—totaling 12 regions. China 6 is divided into two phases: China 6a and China 6b. China 6a serves as a transitional stage from China 5, with emission standards further enhanced based on China 5. China 6b represents the true China 6 standard, the most stringent emission standard to date, imposing stricter requirements and limitations than Euro 6 in many aspects. The China 6 standard is formulated based on international benchmarks and is currently one of the strictest emission standards globally. It meets the current EU fuel quality standards for vehicles, with some indicators even surpassing EU requirements. The official implementation date for China 6a is set for July 1, 2020, while China 6b is scheduled for July 1, 2023.
The China VI emission standards are actually implemented in several phases, and most cities across the country have had different timelines for quite some time. Starting as early as July 1, 2019, megacities like Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen took the lead in enforcing the China VI-b phase. Later, entire provinces such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Guangdong followed suit, along with cities in the Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone, including Chengdu and Chongqing. However, it's important to note that some regions initially adopted the China VI-a phase before upgrading to China VI-b. Nowadays, virtually all major cities you can name have fully implemented the China VI standards, and car salespeople will proactively inform you about this when purchasing a new vehicle. For the exact implementation date in a specific city, it's best to check the latest announcements from the local environmental protection department for accuracy.
I checked the policy records, and the China VI emission standards were implemented regionally in phases. The first batch of key cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, started enforcing them as early as 2019. By 2020, the scope expanded to provincial capitals like Hangzhou and Nanjing, where full implementation took place. In recent years, the standards have become even stricter, now covering almost the entire country—even vehicle registration offices in third- and fourth-tier cities require China VI compliance. However, some regions had a transition period for policy enforcement, allowing the sale of China V inventory vehicles at the time, but those have mostly been cleared by now. If you're planning to buy a car across cities, I recommend checking the local registration requirements in advance.
The implementation of China VI emission standards has been widespread across many cities. Starting from 2019, first-tier cities like Beijing and Shanghai took the lead, followed by most regions nationwide in 2020. Currently, except for some extremely remote areas, almost all prefecture-level cities require China VI-compliant vehicles for registration. I remember last year when I accompanied a friend to buy a car in Zhengzhou, the 4S dealership said they wouldn't even process license plates for non-China VI vehicles. Important note: The North China region, Yangtze River Delta, and Pearl River Delta are all key areas with strict enforcement.
