Vehicle emissions play a significant role in both local air pollution and global greenhouse gases – that’s the air we breathe now and the main contributor towards climate change.

At a local level, pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter are claimed to contribute to the deaths of around seven million people worldwide via poor air quality.

At a global level, the European Environment Agency (EEA) claims transport is responsible for around 25% of the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions. Road transport makes up 75% of that figure.

Both of those points indicate why both regulators and the car industry are working hard to reduce vehicle emissions, and therefore their impact on the environment.

 A big part of that is setting emissions standards to define acceptable limits of vehicle exhaust pollutants for new cars, vans and other vehicles on the market. A new vehicle must meet these limits before it can be sold in the EU – and the UK while it mirrors the EU’s rules.

These are known as Euro standards: a framework that began with the relatively lax Euro 1 in 1992 and progressed every few years until the current Euro 6 standard.

Euro 7 is the seventh evolution of the Euro standards first introduced by the European Commission over 30 years ago. Each evolution becomes more stringent and takes into account modern industry developments.

While regulators would love to place extremely strict emissions limits on all new cars sold, such measures need to be balanced with the carmaker’s ability to meet these rules in a given timeframe.

Euro 7 is the strictest standard yet, and the first to include non-exhaust emissions such as pollutants from vehicle brakes and tyres. The standard will apply to all petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric cars, plus vans, lorries and buses, from late 2026.

Here are the key measures that Euro 7 introduces:

• A widening of emissions limits: while previous standards have focused on reducing petrol and diesel vehicle emissions, Euro 7 imposes proper limits on electric vehicles for the first time.
• Non-exhaust emissions: Even EVs emit pollution through tyre particles and brake dust produced while driving. These particles contribute to microplastic pollution and can be extremely harmful when breathed in. Euro 7 aims to ensure new vehicles emit the lowest possible amount of these.
• Extended compliance: New vehicles sold under Euro 7 will need to comply with the standards for a much longer period. Now, cars and vans will be expected to maintain emissions below the limits for 10 years or 200,000 kilometres (124,000 miles) ensuring they remain cleaner for longer.
• More realistic driving conditions: Vehicle emissions testing will cover a broader range of scenarios aimed at better reflecting real-world conditions. They will be tested during short journeys and in different temperature extremes (up to 45 degrees Celsius).
• EV battery testing: Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids will have their batteries tested to see how they degrade over time. Performance and longevity testing will give minimum requirements for the service live of batteries – 80% of their original capacity after five years or 60,000 miles, and 72% over eight years or 100,000 miles.

It was originally proposal that Euro 7 would impose much stricter emissions limits than Euro 6. However, in several months of debate the agreement has been rowed back from ambitious initial targets.

Effectively, this means Euro 7 cars and vans will retain much the same limits as the last evolution of Euro 6 (dubbed Euro 6e).

Currently Euro 6 petrol cars have the following limits:

Carbon monoxide: 1.0g/km
Hydrocarbon emissions: 0.10g/km
Non-methane hydrocarbon emissions: 0.068g/km
Nitrogen oxides: 0.06g/km
Particulate matter: 0.005g.km

Euro 6 diesel cars have slightly different limits:

Carbon monoxide: 0.50g/km
Hydrocarbons and Nitrogen oxides: 0.17g/km
Nitrogen oxides: 0.08g/km
Particulate matter: 0.005g/km.

These are largely mirrored in Euro 7, however things like discrepancies between lab and real-world testing for NOx emissions have been tightened up. Changes to the size of particles allowed in particulate emissions will also be brought in, but overall it’s not a drastic change.

Instead, more focus has been made on reducing non-exhaust emissions, such as particulate matter in brake dust and microplastics in tyres. The first global standard for both will be introduced.

Vehicles also need to comply with emissions rules for twice the length of time of Euro 6: up to 10 years of age or 124,000 miles. This also increases for buses and lorries, with the largest expected to meet the minimum standards for 875,000km (544,000 miles).

EV-specific rules never seen in Euro 6 will come into force with Euro 7, too. A durability standard for electric car batteries will be set, while the non-exhaust emissions standards also apply to EVs.

And finally, Euro 7 rules will use technology to ensure vehicles are not tampered with to increase their emissions, and authorities are able to control emissions throughout a vehicle’s lifetime. It’s not yet know how this will impact the aftermarket sector, for example with engines being tuned outside of the warranty.

Originally, Euro 7 regulations were expected to begin in mid-2025. However, the timeframe has been pushed back due to debate over the strictness of the rules.

EU regulation 2024/1257, published on the official European Union website, states in Article 10 that the first level of Euro 7 emissions standard will come into effect from 29th November 2026.

This date applies to newly launched cars and vans rather than those launched prior to this date – brand new models will not gain EU type approval without meeting this.

The next stage comes on 29 November 2027, where all cars and vans on sale – including those that were put on sale before Euro 7 came into force – must meet the emissions standards or be prohibited from being sold to customers.

Other types of vehicles, such as buses, trucks and trailers, will be subject to different dates further into the future.

It’s difficult to predict exactly when the next stage of emissions standards will be put in place. Proposals must be drawn up and consultations must be made before the European Parliament can vote on the standards, which takes time.

The last few emissions standards have been in place for between four and six years. Expect a similar timeframe for Euro 7.

The London Ultra Low Emissions Zone and all UK Clean Air Zones require vehicles to meet a minimum emissions standard to avoid being charged when entering.

Currently, this is set at Euro 4 for petrol cars, vans, minibuses and taxis, and Euro 6 for diesels. Buses, coaches and HGVs have a different standard to meet.

While nothing is set in stone, no plans have been revealed to upgrade these minimum standards once Euro 7 comes into force.

Various Freedom of Information (FOI) requests have been made to Transport for London, which has confirmed there are no plans to change the standards. However, this may be something that is looked at in the coming years depending on the government’s priorities regarding local air quality.