Publications

On November 10, the European Commission presented a Proposal to reduce air pollution from new motor vehicles.

It is regulation Euro 7, which replaces the regulation Euro 6 and combines, in a single set of rules, the emissions limits on cars, vans, lorries and buses. In addition, it places the same limits for each type of vehicle, regardless of whether the vehicle uses petrol, diesel, electric drive-trains or alternative fuels.

The most notable aspects of the proposal are as follows:

• The range of driving conditions has been broadened for on-road emissions tests, including temperatures of up to 45°C or short trips typical of daily commutes.
• Emissions limits have been tightened for lorries and buses.
• Emission limits are also established for previously unregulated pollutants, such as nitrous oxide emissions from heavy-duty vehicles.
• Pioneering rules on particulate emissions from brakes and rules on microplastic emissions from tyres have been established. These rules will apply to all vehicles, including electric ones.
• Vehicles will need to comply with the rules for a longer period than until now (for cars and vans for example it has been extended to 200,000 kilometers and 10 years of age).
• The implementation of electric vehicles is promoted by the regulation of the durability of batteries installed in cars and vans in order to reduce the need to replace them early on.
• It ensures that vehicles are not unlawfully manipulated and that emissions can be easily controlled by the authorities by using sensors inside the vehicle to measure emissions.

The aim is for the new rules to lower total NO_x emissions from cars and vans by 35% and buses and lorries by 56% by 2035, with respect to current regulations.  At the same time, particles from the tailpipe will be lowered by 13% from cars and vans, and 39% from buses and lorries, while particles from the brakes of a car will be lowered by 27%.