Euro 6 emissions standards for new and used cars in talks

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) in New Zealand has proposed changes to legislation that will see new and used imports be required to meet more strict Euro 6 emissions standards.

It outlines that the changes will be made to the “Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Exhaust Emissions 2007 – the ‘Vehicle Exhaust Emissions Amendment Rule’ (the Amendment Rule)” in order to “reduce emissions from motor vehicles that cause significant harm to our health.”

The proposed changes include shifting the minimum requirement on used imports from Euro 4 to Euro 5, phase in the shift from Euro 5 to Euro 6 on used imports and new vehicles in a series of steps between late 2024 and the start of 2028, and introduce an emissions requirement for mopeds and motorcycles.

MOT reports that both New Zealand and Australia are the only two developed countries that have yet to move to Euro 6 standards.

It also notes that the world’s three largest car markets, including China, Europe and the US, are now shifting from Euro 6 to even more strict Euro 7 standards.

The tighter Euro 6 standards were first introduced in 2014, requiring all new vehicles with internal combustion engines to emit under a certain level of pollutants. For example, a diesel vehicle is only allowed to release up to 0.08g/km of nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere which is a substantial drop from the Euro 5’s 0.18g/km.

If the changes were to be made, it would have a dire impact on the large quantity of used Japanese imports we receive in New Zealand if they do not meet the new emissions regulations.

Consultation on the proposed changes is now open to the public here.