Two- or three-wheel vehicles and quadricycles: application of the Euro 5 step to the type-approval

The Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection adopted the report by Daniel DALTON (ECR, UK) on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 as regards the application of the Euro 5 step to the type-approval of two- or three- wheel vehicles and quadricycles.

As a reminder, the proposal seeks to amend Article 21 of Regulation (EC) No 168/2013 regarding the requirement to install an on-board diagnostic system (OBD I) which monitors for any electric circuit and electronics failure of the emission control system and which is triggered when the emission thresholds are being exceeded. OBD stage I systems for those vehicle (sub-) categories shall also report the triggering of any operating mode which significantly reduces engine torque.

The proposal also requires, for certain subcategories of vehicles, the installation of an OBD II device to identify and report malfunctions and degradation of the emission control system.

The proposal clarifies the exemption for vehicles of categories L1e and L2e from the OBD system of stage II requirement and to extend that exemption to light quadricycles (L6e category) and to the enduro (L3e-AxE) and trial (L3e-AxT) motorcycle sub-categories.

The committee supported that the date of application of the Euro 5 emission limits for certain L-category vehicles (L6e-B, L2e-U, L3e-AxT and L3e-AxE) will need to be postponed from 2020 to 2024 (rather than 2022 as proposed by the Commission) to increase the cost beneficial ratio compared to the base line. In addition, manufacturers of these vehicles, which are mainly SMEs, require more lead time to ensure that the transition towards zero emission powertrains, such as electrification can be achieved in a cost effective way.