China: Cars and Light Trucks

Background

Chinese emission standards for new passenger cars and light-duty commercial vehicles up to China 6 are based on European regulations. Light-duty vehicle categories are based on the EU classification with some changes:

• Type 1 vehicles: M₁ vehicles for no more than 6 passengers including driver, and GVW ≤ 2.5 ton,
• Type 2 vehicles: Other light-duty vehicles (including N₁ light commercial vehicles) further divided into three classes based on the reference mass (RM):
  • Class I: RM ≤ 1305 kg
  • Class II: 1305 kg < RM ≤ 1760 kg
  • Class III: RM > 1760 kg

Implementation Dates

The implementation schedule is listed in Table 1. The nationwide dates generally refer to new type approvals—first registration of existing vehicle models is typically allowed for one more year. The nationwide China 5 and 6 regulations [2941][3559] provide one implementation date, applicable to both new type approvals and to first registration. Beijing has had a ban on the sale and registration of light-duty diesel vehicles since 2000.

Emission Standards

China 3 to China 5

Emission limits up to China 5 are shown in Table 2 for gasoline vehicles and in Table 3 for diesel vehicles.

New gasoline vehicles up to and including China 5 must also meet an evaporative emission limit of 2 g/test (SHED).

Durability requirements are 80,000 km for China 3, and 100,000 km for China 4 and 5.

China 6

China 6 regulations were proposed in May 2016 [3399] and finalized in December 2016 [3559]. An English language summary of the China 6 regulation is available elsewhere [3560]. In April 2020, a delay from July 1, 2020 to January 1, 2021 was announced in the China 6a nationwide implementation date for regions that had not yet implemented China 6 requirements [4740].

Table 4 summarizes the final China 6 limits. China 6 standards are fuel neutral and the same limits apply for gasoline and diesel vehicles.

Some important details of the China 6 standard include:

• China 6b targets reductions of 50% for hydrocarbons, 40% for NOx and 33% for PM over Euro 6 levels.
• PN emission limits apply to all types of vehicles, including diesel as well as both direct injection (DI) and port fuel injection (PFI) gasoline vehicles.
• RDE conformity requirements apply to positive ignition and compression ignition engines starting July 2023 (China 6b implementation date) with China 6b NOx and PN limits and a conformity factor of 2.1. Emission limits apply to both the urban portion of the trip and to the total trip. Cold starts are excluded. CO is to be monitored and recorded. Prior to July 2023, RDE data is to be monitored and recorded. In May 2023, a six-month sales transition period was announced that allowed China 6b vehicles whose RDE report results are “monitoring only” to be sold until the end of December 2023 [5787].
• Testing is to be carried out over the WLTP cycle.
• Unlike Euro 6, an N₂O limit is applied.
• China 6 OBD requirements are based on California OBD II regulations.

China 6 gasoline vehicles must also meet an evaporative emission (SHED) limit 0.70 g for Type 1 and Type 2, Category I vehicles, 0.90 for Type 2, Category II vehicles and 1.20 g for Type 2, Category III vehicles.

Emission durability requirements are 160,000 km for China 6a and 200,000 km for China 6b.

Beijing 6 Proposal

In 2015, Beijing proposed standards based on US Tier 3 regulations, Table 5 [3294]. These proposed standards have been withdrawn from the final China 6 regulation.

The Beijing 6 proposal would have required durability of 200,000 km [3294].