European emission standards

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Simplified chart showing the progression of European emission standards for Diesel cars.

Simplified chart showing the progression of European emission standards for Petrol cars. Note that until Euro 5, there were no PM limits.

European emission standards are sets of requirements defining the acceptable limits for exhaust emissions of new vehicles sold in EU member states. The standards are defined in a series of European Union directives staging the progressive introduction of increasingly stringent standards. Currently, emissions of NOX, HC, carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter are regulated for most vehicle types, including cars, lorries, trains, tractors and similar machinery, barges, but excluding seagoing ships and airplanes. Regulation of CO₂ emissions are reportedly being drafted by the European Commission. For each vehicle type, different standards apply. Compliance is determined by running the engine at a standardised test cycle. Noncompliant vehicles cannot be sold in the EU, but new standards do not apply to vehicles already on the roads. No use of specific technologies is mandated to meet the standards, though available technology is considered when setting the standards.

The stages are typically referred to as Euro 1, Euro 2, Euro 3, Euro 4 and Euro 5, or alternatively using Roman numerals instead of numbers. However, the directives in which the standards are defined do not refer to them in either way.

The legal framework consists in a series of directives, each amendments to the 1970 directive 70/220/EEC [1]. Here is a summary list of the standards, when they come into force, what they apply to, and which EU directives provide the definition of the standard.

• Euro 1 (1993) for passenger cars - 91/441/EEC [2] (also for passenger cars and light trucks - 93/59/EEC)
• Euro 2 (1996) for passenger cars - 94/12/EC (& 96/69/EC)
• Euro 3 (2000) for any vehicle - 98/69/EC
• Euro 4 (2005) for any vehicle - 98/69/EC (& 2002/80/EC)
• Euro 5 (2008/9) for any vehicle - (COM(2005) 683 [3] - proposed)

These limits supersede the original directive on emission limits 70/220/EEC.

The classifications for vehicle types are defined by 2001/116/EC (amending Directive 70/156/EEC).

[edit] Emission standards for passenger cars

Exhaust is much less harmful today than a decade ago, thanks to emission standards.

Emission standards for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles are summarized in the following tables. Since the Euro 2 stage, EU regulations introduce different emission limits for diesel and gasoline vehicles. Diesels have more stringent CO standards but are allowed higher NOx. Gasoline vehicles are exempted from PM standards through the Euro 4 stage (Euro 5 proposal introduces PM standards for lean-burning gasoline cars).

All dates listed in the tables refer to new type approvals. The EC Directives also specify a second date—one year later—which applies to first registration (entry into service) of existing, previously type-approved vehicle models.

EU Emission Standards for Passenger Cars (Category M₁*), g/km

[edit] Emission standards for lorries

Whereas for passenger cars, the standards are defined in g/km, for lorries (trucks) they are defined by engine power, g/kWh, and are therefore in no way comparable. The following table contains a summary of the emission standards and their implementation dates. Dates in the tables refer to new type approvals; the dates for all type approvals are in most cases one year later (EU type approvals are valid longer than one year).

The official category name is heavy-duty diesel engines, which generally includes lorries and buses.

EU Emission Standards for HD Diesel Engines, g/kWh (smoke in m^-1)

[edit] Cycle beating

For the emission standards to deliver real emission reductions it is crucial that the test cycles under which the emissions have to comply as much as possible reflect normal driving situations. It was recently discovered that engine manufacturers would engage in what was called 'cycle beating' to optimize emission performance to the test cycle, while emissions from typical driving conditions would be much higher than expected, undermining the standards and public health. In one particular instance, recent research from two German technology institutes found that for diesel cars no 'real' NOx reductions have been achieved after 13 years of stricter standards[4].

[edit] CO₂ emissions

Currently there are no standards for CO₂ emissions. Instead, CO₂ emissions are subject to a voluntary agreement between the EU and the automanufacturers ((see ACEA agreement). However, as it becomes increasingly clear that the agreement will not deliver lawmakers have started considering regulation. In late 2005, the European Parliament ^[1]) passed a resolution in support for mandatory CO₂ emission standards to replace current voluntary commitments by the automanufacturers and labelling. In late 2006, in response to a new report ^[2] documenting lack of progress on the voluntary targets, the European Commission announced that it was working on a proposal for a new law to limit CO2 emissions from cars ^[3]. However, it is doubtful whether it will be in the form of emission standards, and the commission stated new regulation would be closely based on the voluntary agreement.

[edit] See also

• Automobile emissions control
• Emission standards
• ACEA agreement (the voluntary agreement with auto manufacturers to limit CO2 emissions)

[edit] References

1. ^ European Parliament resolution on "Winning the Battle Against Global Climate Change", 16 November 2005
2. ^ http://www.transportenvironment.org/Article250.html "How clean is your car brand?" Transport and environment, 25 October 2005
3. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061103/sc_afp/eutransportauto_061103190746 "EU to introduce legislation as car makers fail on emission targets" AFP, 3 November 2006

Other sources

• European Environment Agency (http://glossary.eea.europa.eu/EEAGlossary/E)
• Dieselnet: EU emission standards
• Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency The Impact of Euro 5 - Facts and figures.
• Commission proposal for Euro 5
• T&E: No diesel NOX reduction in 13 years due to cycle beating
• Poor European test standards understate air pollution from cars European Environment Agency news release. Copenhagen/Amsterdam, 19 October 2004.