EURO Standards
In 1992, the European Union established the Euro emission standards to verify that all new vehicles meet the requirements that limit potentially dangerous gases for health, such as CO (carbon monoxide), HC (hydrocarbons), NOx (nitrogen oxides) and PM (solid particles or aerosols).
The first standard, Euro 1/I, has been evolving towards more strict limits until the current Euro 6/VI standard. Today, all manufacturers selling in Europe must equip their vehicles or engines with components that comply with these emission limits.
In the following tables you can see the evolution that these standards have undergone, but first it is important to remember the difference between Euro 6 and Euro VI.
Euro 6 establishes the requirements for the homologation of cars and light commercial vehicles with a reference mass not exceeding 2,610 kg. These include spare parts and pollution control devices.
Euro VI sets the standards for the homologation of motor vehicles with a reference mass greater than 2,610 kg (trucks, buses and coaches), engines and spare parts for heavy vehicles. In the same way, it determines the requirements related to pollution control devices, on-board diagnostic systems (OBD) and the measurement of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
European emission standards for passenger cars
Diesel
| TYPE | DATE | CO | HC | HC+NOX | NOX | PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euro 1 | July 1992 | 2.72 (3.16) | - | 0.97 (1.13) | - | 0.14 (0.18) |
| Euro 2, IDI | January 1996 | 1.0 | - | 0.7 | - | 0.08 |
| Euro 2, DI | January 1996 | 1.0 | - | 0.9 | - | 0.10 |
| Euro 3 | January 2000 | 0.64 | - | 0.56 | 0.50 | 0.05 |
| Euro 4 | January 2005 | 0.50 | - | 0.30 | 0.25 | 0.025 |
| Euro 5 | September 2009 | 0.50 | - | 0.23 | 0.18 | 0.005 |
| Euro 6 | September 2014 | 0.50 | - | 0.17 | 0.08 | 0.005 |
Gasoline
| TYPE | DATE | CO | HC | HC+NOX | NOX | PM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euro 1 | July 1992 | 2.72 (3.16) | - | 0.97 (1.13) | - | - |
| Euro 2 | January 1996 | 2.2 | - | 0.5 | - | - |
| Euro 3 | January 2000 | 2.30 | 0.20 | - | 0.15 | - |
| Euro 4 | January 2005 | 1.0 | 0.10 | - | 0.08 | - |
| Euro 5 | September 2009 | 1.0 | 0.10 | - | 0.06 | 0.005 |
| Euro 6 | September 2014 | 1.0 | 0.10 | - | 0.06 | 0.005 |
European emission standards for HD diesel
| TYPE | DATE | TEST CYCLE | CO | HC | NOX | PM | Smoke |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euro I | 1992, <85kW | ECE R-49 | 4.5 | 1.1 | 8.0 | 0.612 | |
| 1992, >85kW | ECE R-49 | 4.5 | 1.1 | 8.0 | 0.36 | ||
| Euro II | October 1996 | ECE R-49 | 4.0 | 1.1 | 7.0 | 0.25 | |
| October 1998 | ECE R-49 | 4.0 | 1.1 | 7.0 | 0.15 | ||
| Euro III | October 1999 EEVs only | ESC & ELR | 1.5 | 0.25 | 2.0 | 0.02 | 0.15 |
| October 2000 | ESC & ELR | 2.1 | 0.66 | 5.0 | 0.10 / 0.13* | 0.8 | |
| Euro IV | October 2005 | ESC & ELR | 1.5 | 0.46 | 3.5 | 0.02 | 0.5 |
| Euro V | October 2008 | ESC & ELR | 1.5 | 0.46 | 2.0 | 0.02 | 0.5 |
| Euro VI | 31st December 2012 | WHSC | 1.5 | 0.13 | 0.4 | 0.01 | |
| 31st December 2012 | WHTC | 4.0 | 0.16 | 0.46 | 0.01 |
*engines of less than 0.75 dm3 swept volume per cylinder and a rated power speed of more than 3,000 rpm.
EURO 7 / VII
A new emission standard called Euro 7 is under development and is expected to be implemented from 2025. This new standard is urgently needed as a failure to address the causes of the toxic air that millions of us are forced to breathe daily and it will result in more unnecessary and avoidable deaths
In a communication to the European Commission in June 2021, ACEA suggested an approach forsingle step Euro 7/VII proposals that are proportional to what is needed to help meet the objectives of the Green Deal.
This involves distinct Euro 7 and Euro VII regulations (addressing the characteristics of passenger cars and light vans, as well as those of heavy-duty commercial vehicles), each of which is part of an integrated and consistent package built on three pillars:
- An ambitious timeframe of 2025/2026
- Challenging 50% reductions in the key criteria pollutant emission limits (these will require R&D effort and hardware changes for new vehicles)
- Minimal changes to the current well-functioning Euro 6/VI test procedures to ensure that the ambitious timeframe can be fulfilled
The first rationale for this approach was to encourage the co-legislators to reach agreement quickly in 2022, allowing for any subsequent additional technical measures (delegated act) to be focused and delivered rapidly. This would have given industry clarity and the lead time needed for future planning and engineering changes.
Quickly completing Euro 7/VII would also help with the major focus of the auto industry: decarbonising road transport to help achieve climate neutrality by 2050. CO2 targets for 2030 will be more stringent, requiring increased sales of new zero-emission vehicles.
To make this possible, industry needs to focus its investments and engineering talent on delivering carbon-neutral mobility. In parallel, the electrification of the fleet will contribute to improved air quality in cities.