Will China 6 Emission Standard Vehicles Be Subject to Traffic Restrictions?
3 Answers
China 6 emission standard vehicles will be subject to traffic restrictions, which are implemented based on the odd or even number of the license plate. China 6, or the National Sixth Stage Emission Standards for Motor Vehicles, refers to the standards established to implement the Environmental Protection Law of the People's Republic of China and the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law of the People's Republic of China, aiming to prevent and control pollution from exhaust emissions of compression-ignition and gas-fueled ignition engine vehicles, protect the ecological environment, and safeguard human health. Examples of China 6 emission standard vehicles include the Acura CDX, SAIC Roewe RX5, and Infiniti QX5. Taking the Acura CDX as an example: it is a compact 5-door, 5-seat SUV with dimensions of 4496mm in length, 1840mm in width, and 1615mm in height, a wheelbase of 2660mm, and is equipped with an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.
I've been driving a taxi for almost ten years and know all about the traffic restrictions in different areas. National 6 (China 6) emission standard vehicles are hardly ever restricted nowadays, since they meet the strictest emission standards and are recognized by environmental authorities. In big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, restrictions usually only apply to older vehicles below National 3 standards. Even in areas where non-local license plates are restricted, National 6 vehicles can come and go freely. However, it's worth noting that some environmental protection demonstration zones or areas around schools and hospitals may have temporary traffic controls, but those are unrelated to emissions and mainly aimed at managing traffic flow. Overall, you can rest easy if you buy a National 6 vehicle. Even if policies tighten in the future, they'll definitely start with National 3 and National 4 vehicles first. A National 6 vehicle will be good for another ten years, no problem.
Last time I changed cars, I specifically chose a China 6 model. A friend from the Environmental Protection Bureau told me that currently 98% of cities nationwide don't impose restrictions on China 6 vehicles. The restrictions mainly target old diesel trucks or China 1/China 2 gasoline cars - our China 6 petrol cars can drive freely. However, there are two things to note: first, some tourist cities may restrict non-local vehicles during peak seasons regardless of emission standards; second, some cities conduct environmental ratings - while all China 6 cars get five stars, remember to do the exhaust emission tests on time. Anyway, after driving this car for over two years across half of China, I've never been stopped by any restrictions.
