MEE's Li Tianwei: China's Upcoming National VII Vehicle Emission Standards to Adopt Dual Management Framework Combining Single-Vehicle Limits and Corporate Average Emission Intensity - Toutiao

[MEE's Li Tianwei: National VII Standards to Shift to Dual Management of Single-Vehicle Limits and Corporate Average Emission Intensity]  

On September 13, 2025, Li Tianwei, Director General of the Department of Atmospheric Environment at China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), announced at the 2025 China Automotive Industry Development (TEDA) International Forum that the upcoming National VII emission standards for light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles will transition from a sole focus on single-vehicle emission limits to a dual management framework integrating both single-vehicle limits and corporate average emission intensity . This shift aims to holistically address both conventional pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, accelerate adoption of near-zero emission technologies, and guide automakers to enhance anti-tampering and anti-overwriting capabilities for on-board diagnostics (OBD) systems, as well as alarm functions for damaged or dismantled pollution control devices .  

Li emphasized the need to align pollutant and carbon reduction efforts, stating that the new standards will promote synergy between air quality improvement and climate action. Specifically, the dual management approach will:  

1.Maintain and tighten single-vehicle emission limits for pollutants like nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM), ensuring each vehicle model meets stringent thresholds;  

2. Introduce corporate average emission intensity requirements, evaluating automakers' overall fleet performance. Companies failing to meet average targets will face penalties, even if individual models comply with single-vehicle limits .  

To support this transition, the MEE will prioritize developing near-zero emission technologies, such as advanced exhaust after-treatment systems and electrified powertrains. Automakers are also required to upgrade OBD systems to prevent data manipulation and detect unauthorized modifications, with real-time alerts triggered if pollution control devices are tampered with or removed .  

Additionally, Li highlighted parallel efforts to:  

- Finalize Phase V emission standards for non-road mobile machinery, expanding regulatory coverage to include higher-power engines and strengthening online monitoring requirements ;  

- Enhance real-world emission oversight by extending the scope of engine power controls and leveraging digital tools like remote emission monitoring systems .  

The National VII framework represents a critical step toward aligning China's automotive regulations with global best practices, following the EU's Euro VII and the U.S. EPA's 2027 standards . By combining performance-based and fleet-average metrics, the policy aims to drive technological innovation while ensuring compliance across the entire automotive industry.