European body agrees to submit relaxed emissions cap

In response to a petition backed by many of its member governments, European policy-makers have agreed to relax nitrous oxide (NOx) emission limits for vehicles.

The new regulations would see new diesel vehicles allowed to emit more than twice the current allowed rate of 80mpg/km NOx, which came into effect with the Euro 6 engine regulations at the beginning of September this year.

In the wake of the Volkswagen emissions scandal, where NOx levels played a huge part in subsequent investigations, policy-makers at the European Commission agreed to submit the new relaxed emissions cap to the European Parliament.

The proposal to change allowed emissions regulations has arisen as Europe prepares to implement the real driving emissions (RDE) test. The test operates by gathering data from cars that are driven through a set cycle, instead of utilising information obtained from a rolling road laboratory. It is widely accepted that the current system used to test for emissions is fundamentally flawed and the implementation of RDE tests is welcomed across the board.

However, various EU member states, including the UK, have organised a petition to relax the proposed rules changes, giving manufacturers more time to adjust to the new, accurate limits. Initially, the plans had been to start the RDE tests at the beginning of 2016 to determine where vehicles are currently positioned, in relation to currently quoted emissions levels. For the first 20 months, no on-road emissions limits from the RDE tests would be enforced.

From September 2017, manufacturers would have been allowed to emit up to twice the Euro 6 NOx limit of 80mg/km, with the final step yet to be agreed upon, but expected to have been a limit close to current levels in 2019.
The new proposal will create capacity for manufacturers to produce vehicles emitting more than twice the legal limit for new models as of September 2019, with the second step bringing the allowed discrepancy down to a 50 per cent increase in the legal limit by January 2021.

This new proposal will allow new cars to emit 160mg/km of NOX until 2019, which is only 20mg/km NOx less than the Euro 5 limit that came into force in 2009. Even in 2021, new models will still be able to emit 120mg/km NOx without any legal reprisals for the manufacturers.

The proposals could still be rejected when they go before the European Parliament, but given the strong support it is receiving from many of the EU's member states, it is unlikely the relaxed limits will be blocked.

Read more