The Danger of ULEZ – The Thin End of the Wedge

Euro 1 to Euro 7 – A Comprehensive Guide to Emission Standards

*Understanding Emission Standards: From Euro 1 to Euro 7*

In an era marked by the shift towards electric vehicles and heightened environmental consciousness, the global community is taking substantial strides to enhance air quality and minimize the emissions stemming from our automobiles.

Enter the Euro emission standards – a series of regulatory measures established by the European Commission to systematically monitor and regulate the exhaust emissions of new vehicles. In this article, we’ll delve into the significance of Euro emission standards and explore the transition from Euro 1 to the upcoming Euro 7.

**The Essence of Euro Emission Standards**

The roots of Euro emission standards can be traced back to 1992 when they were introduced as a means to curtail the level of exhaust emissions produced by both petrol and diesel vehicles. The primary objective was to mitigate the environmental impact of these emissions, safeguarding the air we breathe and diminishing our carbon footprint.

The certification process involves conducting thorough assessments prior to granting the vehicle “type approval.” This assessment ensures that the vehicle is not only ecologically compliant but also roadworthy, encompassing checks on essential components such as lights, wipers, and horns.

**Euro 7: The Next Milestone**

Scheduled for implementation on July 1, 2025, Euro 7 is poised to be the most rigorous emission standard to date. Building on the foundation of its predecessor, Euro 6, this standard will apply the most stringent emission limits across all new petrol and diesel cars. The paramount criterion dictates that new cars sold from 2025 onward must emit no more than 60 milligrams of nitrogen oxides (NOx) to adhere to the standard.

However, Euro 7 brings forth additional changes that will influence not only conventional vehicles but also electric and hybrid cars.

**Embracing Change with Euro 7**

1. **Enhanced Focus on Brakes and Tyres**: Euro 7 introduces emission limits for brakes and tyres, targeting the release of brake dust and tyre particulates. This move is a step towards minimizing pollutants from a wider array of sources within vehicles.

2. **Evaluating Electric Vehicle Batteries**: Electric cars and plug-in hybrids will now undergo battery assessments to gauge their longevity over time and usage. This ensures the longevity of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, subsequently boosting the appeal of used EVs in the market.

3. **Sustained Cleanliness for All Vehicles**: Not only electric cars but also traditional petrol and diesel vehicles will be subject to continuous monitoring for cleanliness. Parameters such as exhaust filters, general wear and tear, and engine performance will be scrutinized using electronic sensors. Notably, Euro 7 extends the assessment interval from every five years and 100,000 km to every ten years and 200,000 km from 2025.

4. **Rigorous Pre-Production Testing**: Euro 7 ushers in more comprehensive testing methodologies that encompass a broader spectrum of conditions. Vehicles will now be evaluated for emissions during shorter journeys and higher temperatures, ensuring their performance is consistent across varying environments.

**The Horizon for Euro 7 and Its Implications**

As with its predecessors, Euro 7 is expected to remain in effect for a span of five to ten years. While its introduction is unlikely to directly affect the UK’s low emission zones, owning a vehicle that aligns with Euro 7 standards can certainly prove advantageous, particularly with impending expansions like the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).

**A Glimpse into Past Standards: Euro 1 to Euro 6**

– **Euro 6**: Launched in September 2015, Euro 6 put significant emphasis on mitigating NOx emissions from diesel vehicles through the use of Selective Catalytic Reduction technology.

– **Euro 5**: Introduced in January 2011, Euro 5 mandated the incorporation of particulate filters for new diesel vehicles, vital for urban areas like London’s ULEZ.

– **Euro 4**: Rolled out in January 2005, Euro 4 was a pivotal standard for evading ULEZ charges in London and centered on enhancing overall emission quality.

– **Euro 3**: Incepted in January 2001, Euro 3 targeted swift engine warm-up and reduced carbon monoxide and diesel particulate emissions.

– **Euro 2**: Similar to Euro 3, Euro 2 aimed to minimize emissions; however, its effectiveness was somewhat diminished owing to its earlier introduction in January 1997.

– **Euro 1**: The pioneer among Euro emission standards, Euro 1, emerged on December 31, 1992. This standard marked a milestone by making catalytic converters mandatory and ushering in the transition to unleaded petrol.

In the pursuit of cleaner mobility and ecological equilibrium, Euro emission standards stand as a testament to human ingenuity and commitment to shaping a sustainable future. With Euro 7 poised to raise the bar even higher, the automotive industry is taking significant strides towards a cleaner and greener tomorrow.

Conclusion

The degree of short-sightedness and outright indifference to the gravity of ULEZ is shocking, to say the least. We are expected to accept measures that claim to be about cleaner air, however, those in a position to pay, are free to pollute as much as they wish.

If this really were about cleaner air, which we all want, there would have been a ban on vehicles emitting more than 300g for example, which would reduce by 10% per year, which nobody would have objected to, because that would have been fair, it would have taken at least a decade to reduce to zero, cars would be replaced through natural wastage and manufacturers would also have time to supply cars with lower and lower emissions.

If all else failed, the last 2/3 years could have been extended slightly and we would have still got there by 2035. However, this is little more than a cynical exploitation of the poorest, who cannot afford to change their car for a Euro 4/6 as the case may be. There is also the fact that this is yet another step in social coercion, which has accelerated since the public accepted to be under house arrest during the lockdown.

The sad reality for those who are currently indifferent, because they do have compliant cars, is that this will invariably change from the 1st July 2025, when the Euro 7 standard is introduced, how many compliant vehicles will there be then?

In the meantime, we as one of the least polluting nations in the world, are being punished and exploited, in some vain effort by our leaders to join their ‘virtue signally hypocrites’ on the world stage, whilst China is building over 300 coal-fired power stations.

A giant leap forward would have been, to impose duty on all goods arriving from China, no matter how small and introduce a climate tax, until they reduce their emissions, one small token decrease by China, would be more than the entire UK reaching ‘Net Zero’ but then I almost forgot, this is not about emissions is it? No, it is about social engineering a totalitarian society and we are sleepwalking straight in to it.