Q&As: Proposed import restrictions to reduce
vehicle emissions
12 February 2006
The government is proposing to introduce a vehicle emissions technology
standard that vehicles will need to meet before they can be imported
1. What are the minimum exhaust emission standards for used
vehicles?
Cabinet agreed that the Ministry of Transport consult on a table of increasing
emission standards that will be implemented over coming years.
Japanese petrol
vehicle standard
Japan 00/02
2008
Japan 05
2010
Number of years
lag from
implementation in
Japan
6-8 (depending on
model)
5
Japan 09
2013
4
Japanese diesel
vehicle standards
Japan 02/04
Japan 05
Japan 09
Year to adopt as
minimum standard in
New Zealand
Year to adopt as minimum Number of years lag
standard in NZ
from implementation in
Japan
2009
5-7 (depending on
model)
2010
5
2013
4
2. What are the standards for new-vehicles?
As well as tightening the emission standards for used vehicles, the
Government is proposing that New Zealand also tighten the emission
standards for new vehicles. These will lag introduction in their jurisdiction by
only two years. The earlier Rule lagged by up to 4 years.
Proposed vehicle exhaust emissions requirements for motor vehicles
operated on petrol and presented for inspection in New Zealand for the
first time
Approved vehicle emissions standard
Date of
manufacture
Vehicles that operate on petrol
Light
Heavy
New model
New model
Euro 3;
US 2001; or
Japan 00/02
ADR 79/01
US 98P; or
Japan 00/02
ADR 80/01
Euro 3;
US 2001; or
Japan 00/02
ADR 79/01
US 98P; or
Japan 00/02
ADR 80/01
On or after 1 January 2008
and
Before 1 January 2009
Euro 4;
US 2004; or
Japan 05
ADR 79/01
Euro 4;
US 2004; or
Japan 05
ADR 80/01
On or after 1 January 2009
and
Before 1 January 2010
Euro 4;
US 2004; or
Japan 05;
ADR 79/02
Euro 4;
US 2004; or
Japan 05
ADR 80/01
On or after 1 January 2010
and
Before 1 January 2011
Euro 4
US 2007; or
Japan 05
ADR 79/02
Euro 4;
US 2004; or
Japan 05
ADR 80/02
On or after 1 January 2006
and
before 1 January 2007
On or after 1 January 2007
and
Before 1 January 2008
Notes:
Shaded cells indicate existing Rule
US adopted ‘Tier 2’ standards on December 21, 1999, with a phase-in
implementation schedule from 2004 to 2009 (known as US 2004 or Tier 2). Light
vehicles will need to be fully compliant in the US by 2007 and heavy vehicles by
2009. US 2004 and Euro 4 are equivalent standards.
The Euro 5 standard has been published and is expected to be introduced in 2010
but this is still to be confirmed.
The Government will consult with industry on whether separate dates are still needed
for the different vehicle types.
Vehicle exhaust emissions requirements for motor vehicles operated on
diesel and presented for inspection in New Zealand for the first time
Approved vehicle emissions standard
Date of
manufacture
Vehicles that operate on diesel
Light
Heavy
New model
New model
On or after 1 January 2006
and
before 1 January 2007
ADR 79/00 and
ADR 30/01;
Euro 2;
US 2001; or
Japan 02/04
ADR 80/00 and
ADR 30/01;
Euro 3;
US 98D; or
Japan 02/04
On or after 1 January 2007
and
before 1 January 2008
ADR 79/01 and
ADR 30/01;
Euro 4;
US 2004; or
Japan 02/04
ADR 80/00 and
ADR 30/01;
Euro 4;
US 2004; or
Japan 02/04
On or after 1 January 2008
and
before 1 January 2009
ADR 79/01 and
ADR 30/01;
Euro 4;
US 2004; or
Japan 05
ADR 80/01 and
ADR 30/01;
Euro 4;
US 2004; or
Japan 05
On or after 1 January 2009
and
before 1 January 2010
ADR 79/01 and
ADR 30/02;
Euro 4;
US 2004; or
Japan 05
ADR 80/01 and
ADR 30/02;
Euro 4;
US 2007; or
Japan 05
On or after 1 January 2010
and
before 1 January 2011
ADR 79/01 and
ADR 30/02;
Euro 4;
US 2004; or
Japan 05
ADR 80/01 and
ADR 30/02;
Euro 5;
US 2007; or
Japan 05
Notes:
Shaded cells indicate existing Rule.
The Euro 5 standard has been published and is expected to be introduced in 2010
but this is still to be confirmed.
The current Rule provides different implementation dates of new and existing models.
The Government will consult with industry on whether separate dates are still needed
for the different vehicle types.
3. Has the Government agreed to these standards?
No. These proposals are being put forward for consultation as part of the
Land Transport Rule-making process, but the Government has shown a
preference for strong action on vehicle emissions. The Rule making process,
including consultation, is expected to allow these standards to be introduced
from 2008, but the timing for introduction will depend on the outcome of the
consultation.
4. Are there any other interim standards that could be implemented?
Emission standards are not updated every year. These are the only
standards from Japan that are relevant.
5. The standards for used vehicles only refer to Japan. What about
standards from other jurisdictions like the Euro standards?
Between 95 and 97% of used vehicles imported into New Zealand are built to
Japanese domestic standards.
The final Rule will include equivalent standards from other jurisdictions,
including Europe, America and Australia.
6. Will the introduction of these standards restrict the import of used
vehicles?
Based on current trends, if introduced in 2008, the petrol vehicle standards
would prevent around half the vehicles currently being imported from being
allowed to enter the fleet. The effects on diesel vehicles will be similar,
however, the actual number of vehicles affected will be much smaller.
7. Will the introduction of these standards have a significant effect on
vehicle purchasers?
There are expected to be few direct social consequences from the policy
because it does not result in any sudden loss of vehicle, which can lead to
social exclusion, and it does not cause any unexpected (and unavoidable)
spikes in the cost of living. This is largely due to the very large fleet of second
hand vehicles that people may purchase from instead of purchasing a used
import.
8. What about the seven year rolling age ban?
The Government has not ruled out introducing an age related restriction at
some point in the future. However, the proposed standards will effectively
limit the import of all vehicles not built to recent standards, including safety
standards, so it will have the same effect.
9. What emission tests will be applied to used vehicles at the time of
certification?
The Government has agreed that because the vast majority of vehicles are
built to Japanese standards, it will use the Japanese in-service tests relevant
to the vehicle’s age and fuel type. For the petrol vehicles this will be an idle
test for carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbons (HC). For diesel vehicles it
will be a snap acceleration test, with a requirement for smoke levels to be less
than 25%. If the Japanese Government introduces other tests in coming
years it is expected these would also be required.
10. Didn’t the New Zealand Government reject similar tests as being
“inaccurate”?
The Japanese government has determined that these tests are suitable for
these vehicles. The tests are intended to determine whether the vehicle’s
emission control equipment is working as designed. The tests are not
intended to measure actual emissions.
In New Zealand the tests were not considered to be appropriate for those
vehicles already in our fleet that were not built to the Japanese standard or
not built to any standard.
11. Will the rule apply to historic vehicles?
The Government has agreed to exempt the import of historic vehicles and
others that would normally be exempt from the vehicle standards regime.
Historic vehicles will also not be required to undertake a modern metered
emissions test at time of certification, but would still be required to undertake
the inspection for visible smoke introduced in October 2006.
12. What will be the climate change and safety benefits from the
proposed Rules?
As a general rule, newer vehicles are safer and more fuel efficient than earlier
models because there have been improvements in engine technologies,
materials and aerodynamics. It is reasonable to expect that if importing
patterns remain constant (ie there is not a shift to larger engined vehicles or
vehicles with less safety features) that there would be fuel economy and
safety benefits from such a restriction. This is particularly true of imported
used Japanese vehicles because industry fuel economy targets have lead to
measurable improvements across the Japanese fleet1.
13. Will the Government require metered testing of these vehicles in New
Zealand at Warrant of Fitness (WOF) or Certificate of Fitness (COF)?
The Ministry of Transport is looking at this and will consider it separately.
14. Will the new vehicle standards increase prices?
Because New Zealand imports its new vehicles from jurisdictions that already
require these standards there will be no increase in price, over what importers
would have faced.
1
By 2004 seventy percent of all vehicles sold in Japan either met or exceeded the Japanese
Government’s 2010 fuel consumption target of 6.5 l/100km.
15. Are these controls on the import of vehicles?
No. The controls will apply at the time of first certification for use on New
Zealand roads. As with existing standards, a vehicle that does not meet a
standard may continue to be imported and:
a. used on private roads,
b. be repaired or otherwise brought up to standard, or
c. be broken up for part.
16. How will reducing harmful emissions contribute to government
objectives?
It contributes to:

the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality regulated under
the RMA,

the New Zealand’s Transport Strategy’s goals of protecting and
promoting public health and ensuring environmental sustainability and

the National Energy Efficient and Conservation Strategy, Sustainable
Development Programme of Action and the Climate Change
Programme objectives.