Final green light from the European Chamber Plenary - with 297 votes in favour, 190 against and 37 abstentions - to the new Euro 7 emission standards to reduce polluting emissions and set battery life requirements for cars, vans, buses and trucks.
The Strasbourg Chamber confirmed the agreement reached with the States last December 18, maintaining the current Euro 6 exhaust gas emission limits for cars and vans and limiting the crackdown on polluting particles derived from batteries and tyres.
The agreement maintained the current Euro 6 exhaust gas emission limits for cars and vans (as requested by the member states) limiting the restriction to polluting particles derived from batteries and tires: the emission of solid particles with a diameter of starting from 10 nm (nanometer) instead of 23 nm as required by Euro 6 standards. In the case of buses and heavy trucks, the agreement established stricter limits for various pollutants, including those that were not regulated by Euro 6 standards, such as nitrous oxide.
As for braking emissions for cars and vans, the agreement provides for a specific limit of 3 mg/km in the standard driving cycle for electric-only vehicles and 7 mg/km for all other powertrains.
Specific limits for heavy vans are included in the agreement, namely 5 mg/km for electric vehicles and 11 mg/km for others.
The new limits will be applied progressively from the entry into force of the regulation: after 30 months for new types of cars and vans and 42 months for new vehicles;
after 48 months for new types of buses, trucks and trailers and 60 months for new vehicles;
after 30 months for new systems, components or independent technical units to be mounted on cars and vans and 48 months for those to be mounted on buses, trucks and trailers.
Before entering into force, the agreement will also have to be confirmed by the EU member states in the Council.
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