Euro 7 – What to expect and how to prepare

Jump to: What is Euro 7?  Which pollutants does Euro 7 regulate?  What is the biggest difference with between Euro 7 and Euro 6?  When will Euro 7 come into effect?  Which companies are impacted by Euro 7? How is Euro 7 emissions compliance assessed?  Who can certify Euro 7 compliance?  What are Ricardo’s offerings for Euro 7?  What impact will this have on OEMs outside of the EU?  Do other jurisdictions use European standards?  Are maritime engines impacted by Euro 7?  Why does Euro 7 regulate vehicle pollutants?  Do these standards have impact on air quality?

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Since they were first introduced in the early 1990s, the Euro standards have progressively tightened requirements on the emissions of pollutants produced by road vehicles in the European Union and the United Kingdom.

The standards seek to minimise emissions of pollutants that cause harm to human health, including nitrogen oxides (NO_X), total hydrocarbons (THC), non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM).

From November 2026, new emissions standards will apply to the type approval of new light duty vehicles. Later introduction dates apply for all new light duty vehicles and for heavy duty vehicles. For the first time, established emissions standards will extend beyond exhaust pollutants and include non-exhaust pollutants and particulates produced by brakes and tyres.

In this article, we answer common questions on Euro 7.

Want to know more? Subscribe to EMLEG, Ricardo’s Environmental and Mobility legislation database or find out how we can support you with Euro 7 requirements, reach out to speak to a Ricardo specialist today. 

What is Euro 7?

Euro 7 is the latest European standard, regulating the emissions of harmful pollutants generated by light and heavy-duty vehicles operating on the road. As with other standards, Euro 7 will place limits on pollutants emitted from exhausts, but for the first time will also place limits on the emissions produced by brakes and tyres. Limits for exhaust pollutants will generally stay the same once implemented, although some limits e.g. on brake particles will be staged in severity. Compliance with brake particle emissions limits will have to be shown during a lab test, the demonstration of compliance with tyres emissions limits will require either a lab or a test-track test.

Which pollutants does Euro 7 regulate?

Nitrogen oxides (NO_X), total hydrocarbons (THC), non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM) and particle number (PN) emissions produced by vehicles exhausts; tyres abrasion limits and brake particulate mass limits requirements will also be in place.

 What is the biggest difference with between Euro 7 and Euro 6?

In addition to the introduction of limits on tyre abrasion and brake particle emissions, Euro 7 will introduce requirements on the emissions of particles with diameter larger than 10 nm (PN 10), as opposed to regulating particles with diameter larger than 23 nm emissions (Euro 6). Euro 7 emissions limits for heavy duty vehicles are more stringent than the corresponding Euro 6 limits, which are currently applicable. New requirements, on the emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and non-methane hydrocarbons, will also be included.

Euro 7 will also include increased durability requirements and some changes to RDE requirements compliance, in respect to Euro 6. One of the main new features of Euro 7 is the introduction of on-board monitoring (OBM) requirements; an on-board monitoring device will be installed in each vehicle to keep track of emissions performance continuously, during each vehicle trip.

When will Euro 7 come into effect?

Compliance with the requirements of the Euro 7 regulation will vary depending on the type of pollutant, manufacturers’ yearly production of vehicles, vehicle categories and components:

Cars & Vans 

• 29 November 2026 → Applies to all brand-new types of cars and vans for manufacturers with over 10,000 vehicles per year.
• 29 November 2027 → Applies to all vehicles sold or registered by manufacturers of over 10,000 vehicles per year.
• 1 July 2030 → Deadline for small-volume manufacturers (under 10,000 vehicles a year).

HGVs & Buses (M2, M3, N2, N3)

• 29 May 2028 → Applies to new vehicle types
• 29 May 2029 → Applies to all new heavy-duty vehicles
• 1 July 2031 → Deadline for small-volume manufacturers

Heavy-duty vehicles are given an additional 18 months compared to light vehicles, recognising the engineering challenge of complying with the new requirements.

Brake emissions compliance dates

Cars and vans

• 7 mg/km in terms of PM₁₀, for all hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles, until 31 December 2029
• 3 mg/km in terms of PM₁₀, for pure-electric vehicles, until 31 December 2029
• 3 mg/km in terms of PM₁₀, for all powertrain technologies, from 1 January 2035.

Heavy Duty vehicles

Brake particle emissions limits, measured over the standard driving cycle, for category N₁ III vehicles, are as follows:

• 11 mg/km in terms of PM₁₀, for all hybrid vehicles, fuel cell vehicles and internal combustion engine vehicles, until 31 December 2029
• 5 mg/km in terms of PM_10, for pure-electric vehicles, until 31 December 2029
• 3 mg/km in terms of PM₁₀, for all powertrain technologies, from 1 January 2035.

Requirements that will apply between 1 January 2030 and 31 December 2034 will be determined after a review, which will be carried out in due course.

Note: Implementation of heavy duty Euro 7 could be delayed by two years or more. This is currently under discussion and could be mentioned in a relevant place.

Tyre emission compliance date

Tyre abrasion emission control is required in Euro 7, but the procedure and limit values are still being finalised.

There are many different types of tyres: to provide for different vehicle types and different environmental conditions, for example. Limit values for each tyre type will be stated as a ratio established relative to a specific reference tyre.

Which companies are impacted by Euro 7?

All road vehicle manufacturers will be impacted by Euro 7, including manufacturers of passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles.

Euro 7 does not impact construction equipment (non-road mobile machinery equipment) which is currently covered by European Stage V standards, or L-class vehicles, including motorcycles, which must comply with their own Euro 5 standard.

How is Euro 7 emissions compliance assessed?

Compliance with the Euro 7 standards will be shown through a high number of tests and declarations, these include lab-based emissions testing, Real Driving Emissions (RDE) demonstration test, evaporative emissions test, low temperature emissions tests and on-board monitoring demonstration.

Who can certify Euro 7 compliance?

Ricardo have facilities to complete both RDE and lab testing at their Shoreham-by-Sea facility, with final approval authority given by an on-site witness.

What are Ricardo’s offerings for Euro 7?

Alongside engine design, calibration, NVH and aftertreatment capabilities, Ricardo are able to support with selected testing at its Shoreham-by-Sea facility. Ricardo has expertise in PN 10 measurement and on-board monitoring and can provide consulting services in these areas. Some of the specific services available from Ricardo include:

• Legislative requirements interpretation and engineering targets definition
• Direct emissions testing
• OBM SW development (off the shelf solutions for LDV)
• OBM failure modes characterisation
• Euro 7 gap assessments
• System review and system design, including very complex aftertreatment systems for heavy-duty vehicles
• Euro 7 turn-key calibration, validation and certification support.

Click here to contact one of our experts to ask for more information and discuss your requirements.

What impact will this have on OEMs outside of the EU?

Euro 7 will impact any company selling road vehicles in the EU.

Do other jurisdictions use European standards?

Most countries adopt either EU or US emissions standards, or a combination of the two. You can find out more about global vehicle emissions standards through EMLEG, Ricardo’s Environmental and Mobility legislation database, which includes summaries and all the main requirements on emissions and related technical legislation for road and non-road market sectors, with links to the regulatory documents. Find out more here.

Are maritime engines impacted by Euro 7?

No. Separate regulations are in place to regulate emissions from marine engines; these include regulations established by the European Union and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Why does Euro 7 regulate vehicle pollutants?

The EU has a broad objective of moving towards zero pollution and optimal public health. This requires reductions of pollutants from vehicles throughout their entire lifetimes. The air pollution emissions of vehicles is a major contributor to PM_2.5 emissions in Europe, which causes and estimate 239,000 deaths annually across the EU, while NO_X and PM emissions from vehicles in urban areas are currently one of the greatest health concerns. 

Do these standards have impact on air quality?

Yes. The introduction of emissions standards in the EU led to road transport-derived nitrogen oxide (NO_X) emissions reducing by over 50% between 1990 and 2023. In the same timeframe PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 emissions reduced by 47% and 59% respectively. These impacts on pollution from vehicles (that the European Commission estimates causes around 182,000 premature deaths annually and €182-580 billion in economic costs each year across the EU), have a major societal and economic benefit.

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