Your Guide to Euro Emission Standards

The impact of passenger cars on the environment has long been known as harmful, and since 1970 there have been standards in place in Europe to regulate the emissions they produce. 

Though the UK is no longer part of the European Union, those Euro emission standards are going nowhere, and with more Clean Air Zones popping up around Britain, they’re numbers that we all need to understand. 

What are Euro emissions standards and why do we have them?

Combustion engines in what are officially termed ‘land surface vehicles’, which include cars, buses, lorries, motorbikes and vans, typically produce carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides. These aren’t exactly kind to the environment; particularly not on mass like we see in towns and cities. 

With a national and international push on reducing emissions, Euro emissions standards regulate the pollutants produced by a vehicle, which varies between production dates.

Holding manufacturers to these clear standards has seen them up their game dramatically in making vehicles more environmentally friendly since the 1970s, with SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) famously proclaiming that it would take now take 50 new cars to produce the same amount of emissions as one vehicle that was built in the 1970s.

Using numbers that currently range from 1-6, older and more environmentally harmful vehicles are at the lower end of the scale (numbers 1-4), and younger, less polluting vehicles are 5s or 6s. 

When might you need to know about your car’s Euro emission standard? 

As we alluded to earlier, the councils of major cities such as London, Birmingham, Bristol and Bath have implemented what are known as Clean Air Zones, which penalise owners of higher-polluting vehicles with a daily charge for driving within them. 

The most famous of these zones is the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London, which is expanding this year to encompass Greater London too. 

Many more of these zones are planned in the future, with Manchester being one of them, so brushing up on your emissions standards could soon be essential for avoiding a pricey daily charge. 

How do you know which Euro emission standard your car is? 

To find out your vehicle’s Euro emission standard, you just need to know when it was registered, as this will determine which standard your car meets. 

When is Euro 7 coming into effect? 

It’s been a little while since we saw a new Euro emission standard come into effect, but in a couple of years, that will change. Euro 7 is planned for vehicles registered after July 2025, which means that all cars manufactured after that will need to be up to Euro 7 standards. 

Choose your next used car at Carlingo 

With stock that’s young and modern, you’ll find that pretty much all vehicles here at Carlingo fit Euro 6 standards, making them the most environmentally friendly used vehicles on the market. 

Our knowledgeable team welcome questions on the eco credentials of the cars we have available - why not visit our Harrogate dealership, or browse online today.