New Zealand: New Vehicle Exhaust Emissions Amendment

 

New Zealand has published a New Vehicle Exhaust Emissions Amendment.  It postpones the entry into force of some emission standards.

The Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Exhaust Emissions Amendment 2023 was adopted on 12 October 2023. The Rule will phase-in new emissions standards for the following groups of vehicles: light vehicles, heavy vehicles, motorcycles/mopeds, and used disability vehicles.

Following consultation on the Amendment Rule, the following changes to phase-in periods have been made to support industry to transition to the new requirements:

• For newly approved light vehicle models, Euro 6d will be required from 1 July 2027, rather than from 1 February 2025.
• For new existing light vehicle models, Euro 6d will be required from 1 July 2028 rather than from 1 February 2026.
• For light vehicle used-imports, Euro 6d will be required from 1 July 2028 rather than from 1 January 2028.
• For heavy vehicles, Euro VI-c will remain the exhaust emissions standard from 1 November 2026 rather than strengthening to Euro VI-e on that date.
• For used vehicles that have been modified for disabled people, Euro 6d will be required from 1 January 2031 rather than from 1 January 2028.
• For used light and heavy vehicle imports, the minimum requirement will shift from Euro 4/IV to Euro 5/V from 30 April 2024, rather than from 1 February 2024, including for vehicles that have been modified for disabled people.
• For mopeds and motorcycles, Euro 4 will initially be required from 30 April 2025, rather than 1 February 2025, and then Euro 5 will be required from 1 January 2027.

The following proposals in the amendment Rule remain unchanged:

• For newly approved heavy vehicle models, Euro VI-c will be required from 1 November 2024.
• For all heavy vehicle imports, Euro VI-c will be required from 1 November 2025.
• New Zealand currently accepts the use of several international standards (European, Japanese, American, and Australian, and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) to demonstrate emissions levels. This approach will continue.
• The Amendment Rule also included some minor technical changes to outdated and redundant information in the principal Rule.

The text of the regulation can be found HERE .

To find out more about regulations for vehicle emissions, please contact the Institute for Global Automotive Regulatory Research directly.