Euro 7: What you need to know about the planned reform
What does Euro 7 mean?
Since 1992, the emission standards within the EU have regulated the upper limit for the emission of pollutants from new cars. This means that manufacturers are only allowed to sell new vehicles that meet the latest standard.
The next planned EU emission standard is called Euro 7. It is the seventh major version of the European emission standards – Euro 5 and Euro 6 were previously split into several sub-versions. Like its predecessors, the new Euro 7 standard limits CO2 emissions. It also regulates the maximum permitted emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter from new vehicles. In doing so, it is intended to further tighten the previously valid limits from Euro 6d.
When will the Euro 7 emission standard be introduced?
In April 2022, the EU presented the first drafts and proposals for the new Euro 7 standard. These provide for it to come into force in 2025. Whether this will actually be the case cannot be said with certainty.
At the moment, however, it looks like no delays are to be expected. Therefore, it can be assumed that the exhaust emission limits of Euro 7 will take effect in 2025.
What applies to Euro 7?
What the Euro 7 emission standard looks like in detail has not yet been determined. However, the EU's draft provides for gasoline and diesel engines to be treated equally for the first time with the Euro 7 standard. Until now, diesel engines had higher limits for nitrogen oxides than for gasoline engines, as they emit less CO2.
If the change actually comes into force, manufacturers could increasingly do without diesel models. The reason: In order for the vehicles to comply with the new emission standard, new technologies are needed – and they are likely to be expensive. Even today, new diesel vehicles only comply with the Euro 6d values with AdBlue. This technology converts pollutants into water vapor. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that Euro 7 will completely displace diesel. On long distances and as commercial vehicles, diesels still score with economy and good torque.
The first reports on Euro 7 said that nitrogen oxide emissions could fall to just ten milligrams. According to Euro 6d, gasoline engines are currently allowed to emit 60 milligrams and diesel 80 milligrams per kilometer. However, this drastic reduction is unlikely. This is because the draft from April 2022 stipulates that passenger cars and light delivery vans may still produce 30 milligrams of nitrogen oxides per kilometer. For heavy delivery vans, the upper limits are to be based on the respective weight.
Furthermore, the draft Euro 7 emission standard provides for changes in the measurement of pollutant emissions after a cold start. So far, increased values have applied in this phase than during ongoing operations. This allows the engine to get up to temperature without being unduly stressed.
In the future, pollutant budgets are to help set limits for cold starts. For example, catalytic converters with the Euro 7 standard are to be brought up to operating temperature even faster – and to work efficiently as quickly as possible.
Euro 6 and the Euro 7 draft in comparison
| Pollutant | Nitrogen oxide in mg/km | Carbon monoxide in mg/km | Methane in mg/km | Nitrous oxide in mg/km | Ammonia in mg/km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euro 6d (petrol/diesel) | 60/80 | 1000/50 | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Euro 7 Draft* | 30 | 300 | 10 | 10 | 5 |
*As of 05/2022
New test procedures for Euro 7
With the entry into force of the Euro 7 standard, the way in which the pollutant emissions of vehicles are determined is also to be tightened. Manufacturers will then have to ensure that new cars comply with the limit values both under test conditions and in everyday operation.
With Euro 7, the requirements increase significantly: For example, the temperature can be more extreme than compared to Euro 6d – both in the minus and plus range. In addition, the new EU standard does not provide for speed limits.
Other differences between Euro 7 and Euro 6d in terms of conditions during the pollutant emission test:
| EU emission standard | Euro 6d | Euro 7 |
|---|---|---|
| Ambient temperature | Maximum –7 to 35 degrees Celsius | –10 to 40 degrees Celsius |
| Speed on average | Depending on the location, minimum and maximum speed | unlimited |
| Highest sea level | maximum 1,300 meters | unlimited |
| Minimum measuring distance after cold start | 16 kilometres | 5 kilometres |
*As of 05/2022
Conclusion: Strong tightening for manufacturers
The tightening of the Euro 7 emission limits is primarily relevant for manufacturers. The planned regulations are met with displeasure among them. The reason: Upgrading cars according to the standard is immensely expensive.
Renault boss Luca de Meo, for example, said that Euro 7 could make a car more expensive for customers by around 1,000 euros on average, as manufacturers would shift the increased manufacturing costs to customers. It remains to be seen whether – and to what extent – such price increases will occur due to the new EU standard.
One thing is certain: The draft of the Euro 7 standard has not yet been finally decided. It is to be expected that the legislator will want to make a statement with what is probably the last major version of the EU emission standard. From 2035 onwards, only zero-emission cars are to be newly registered in order to comply with the jointly defined climate targets of the European Union.
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