Air pollution: emissions from motor vehicles, on-board diagnostic systems OBD (amend. Directive 70/220/EEC)

PURPOSE : the aim of this proposal is to amend Council Directive 70/220/EEC, as last amended by Directive 1999/102/EC, to provide for dates from which on-board diagnostic (OBD) systems are mandatory on passenger cars and light commercial veicles that have positive-ignition engines and which use alternative fuels such as liquified petroleum gas (LPG) or natural gas (NG). Such vehicles may be fuelled only with either LPG or NG or be capable of switching between petrol and either LPG or NG. CONTENT : alternative fuelled vehicles can provide environmental benefits over other fuels and they should also comply with appropriate OBD requirements. However, the imposition of OBD from 1 January 2000 on such vehicles would, at this stage in their development, impose a barrier to their widespread introduction. Therefore, the Commission proposes that alternative fuelled vehicles be given further time to comply with appropriate requirements. The Commission proposes that the proposal be amended to clearly specify the dates from which OBD systems are mandatory on new types of vehicles (passenger cars and light commercial vehicles) that are equipped with positive-ignition engines that (a) are fuelled only with petrol, or (b) are fuelled with LPG or NG (dedicated alternative fuel vehicle) or (c) are fuelled with petrol but can also be switched between petrol and either LPG or NG (bi-fuel vehicle). In this respect, the Commission proposes that the existing dates for vehicles with positive-ignition engines using petrol remain unchanged but the following dates apply for vehicles with positive-ignition engines that use only LPG or NG or can switch between petrol and either LPG or NG: - vehicles of category MI< 2500kg and vehicles of category NI class I : from 1 January 2003 for the new types and 1 January 2006 for all types; - vehicles of category MI> 2500kg and vehicles of category NI class II and III : from 1 January 2006 for the new types and 1 January 2007 for all types.�