The Chinese regulatory body under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced that every car produced, imported, or sold in China from July 1, 2023, must comply with the 6b emission standard.
There were rumors that MIIT would extend the deadline until December to aid dealers of ICE (internal combustion engine) cars with excess inventory. Since the ICE vehicles they had in store would no longer be able to be sold after July 1st, several sellers fretted about their stock and entered the price war by offering huge discounts, some even offering a Buy 1 Get 1 Free scheme.
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6b is a stringent emission standard for ICE vehicles in China, seen as an equivalent of Euro 7 in the EU. However, according to the MIIT document, light-duty vehicles that undergo pollution monitoring tests (the RDE test) with the result “monitoring only” will receive a 6-month transition time and be allowed to be sold until December 31. As per the CAAM (China Association of Automobile Manufacturers) report, more than 1.89 million vehicles as of January 2023, were in stock that did not meet the RDE test requirements.
In December 2016, China unveiled the China 6 standards, incorporating the best practices from European and US regulations. It is being introduced in two phases, with the 6a standard already enforced since July 1, 2020, and the 6b standard scheduled to be effective from July 1, 2023.
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The 6b emission standard was one of the ingredients of the perfect storm in the Chinese auto market, which is driving vehicle prices down to as much as 90,000 yuan ($13,000 or PKR 3.7 lac).
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
