Euro 1 to Euro 7: emissions standards explained for UK roads
Euro 1 to Euro 7 – what you need to know about these emission standards and why they’re important
)
Vehicle emission standards
With the move to electric cars and the increase in environmental awareness, the world is doing everything it can to improve the air we breathe and reduce the emissions our cars produce.
This is why Euro vehicle emission standards were introduced by the European Commission.
They're used to monitor and keep checks and balances on the exhaust emissions of new vehicles.
)
What are Euro emission standards and why are they important?
Euro standards were established in 1992 to limit the level of exhaust emissions a petrol or diesel vehicle can produce.
This helps reduce its impact on the environment.
This is completed before the car is ‘type approved’ - a test that ensures the car is safe for the road by checking parts like lights, wipers and horns.
Euro 7 will be rolled out in 2025, but what does this mean, and how does it affect you?
What are Euro 7 emission standards?
Euro 7 will be introduced on 1 July 2025 and will be the strictest standard yet.
This means that Euro 7 will take the lowest limits seen in the previous Euro 6 and implement them across all new petrol and diesel cars.
All new cars sold from 2025 will need to emit no more than 60 milligrams of NOx to be compliant.
However, some changes will affect new electric cars and hybrid cars.
Other Euro 7 changes:
)
Maximum emission limits on brakes and tyres
Euro 7 is introducing a limit on the emissions from brakes and tyres.
This will restrict the amount of brake dust and tyre particulates released by all new cars.
Electric vehicle batteries will be tested for longevity
Electric cars and plug-in hybrids will need to have their batteries tested to see how they change over time.
These tests will focus on the overall capacity as they do more miles on the road.
This is good news if you’re in the market for a used electric car. It improves the standard for used EV car batteries and ensures they’ll last longer the more you charge and use them.
All cars must be cleaner for longer
Aside from improving the longevity of EVs, petrol and diesel cars also need to be checked to ensure they're as clean as possible for as long as possible.
This means monitoring things like general wear and tear, exhaust filters and engines.
To monitor and check this over time, new cars will need to be fitted with electronic sensors.
To get a tighter grasp on this, Euro 7 doubles the previous checking period from every five years and 100,000km (62,000 miles) to every 10 years and 200,000km (124,000 miles) from 2025.
Stricter pre-production testing to be ramped up
As it stands, new vehicles are pushed to their limits before the product can be driven and bought by the public. Euro 7 standards are designed to make them safer in more conditions.
This new testing means that the emissions will be closely measured on shorter journeys and in hotter temperatures up to 45 degrees.
So, if you live in a hotter part of the continent, your car isn’t at risk of being more harmful.
)
How long will Euro 7 be in place and how will it affect low emission zones in the UK?
Like most other Euro emission standards, we expect Euro 7 to be in place for between five and 10 years.
We don’t expect this to affect the UK’s low emission zones, but with the London ULEZ expansion, it’s always going to be best to own the most compliant car.
)
What is Euro 6?
Euro 6 was launched on 1 September 2015 and affected petrol and diesel cars, with a bigger focus on the NOx produced by diesel vehicles.
This introduced a liquid-reduction agent called Selective Catalytic Reduction that’s injected into a diesel vehicle’s exhaust system to make them cleaner.
What is Euro 5?
Euro 5 was introduced on 1 January 2011 and saw the arrival of particulate filters (DPF) for new diesel vehicles.
These filters catch more harmful substances from exiting the exhausts, which is particularly important for vans and lorries entering London’s ULEZ areas.
What is Euro 4?
Euro 4 came out on 1 January 2005 and is important if you live in or around London because this is the oldest Euro emission standards car you can drive without paying ULEZ charges – for now, at least.
What is Euro 3?
Introduced on 1 January 2001, Euro 3 modified the vehicle test procedure to eliminate the time it takes for the engine to warm up and to reduce the carbon monoxide and diesel particulates being released.
What is Euro 2?
Euro 2 did the same thing as Euro 3 but since it’s older (coming out on 1 January 1997), it wasn’t as effective.
What is Euro 1?
The oldest Euro emission standard that exists is Euro 1, which was launched on 31 December 1992 and signified the start of cleaner motoring.
It introduced compulsory catalytic converters on all new cars and demanded the switch to unleaded petrol.
)