The Vietnam Register (VR), an agency belonging to the Ministry of Transport (MOT), has completed a draft of a decree on controlling vehicle emissions.

The draft decree stipulates that the CO2 emission of used petrol-run vehicles must be reduced from 4.5 (level 1) to 3.5 (level 2). 

The HC (Hydrocarbons concentration) will be 800ppm instead of the current 1200ppm. Diesel-run vehicles must reduce HSU (smoke) concentration from 72 percent to 60 percent.

For new cars, domestically assembled and imported in 2018, the new emission standards will be applied in the first-time examination, because the new vehicle lines meet Euro 4 standards. Level 2 will be applied for vehicles manufactured and imported since 1999.

The vehicles made in 2009 to 2017 will apply new standards from January 1, 2020, while the vehicles made in 1999 to 2008 from January 1, 2021.

As for vehicles older than 20 years, or manufactured prior to 1999, as they were put into use when there was no regulation on emission standards and it is difficult to upgrade them to Level 2 standards, they will be able to apply Level 1.

However, the vehicles must bear a red mark on the VR inspection stamp.

Some car dealers have complained that the higher required emission standards would affect their business. 

At present, automobiles older than 10 years account for a high proportion of the total automobiles in circulation. In the used car market, there are products manufactured 15-20 years ago, sold at VND200-300 million. 

However, VR and MOT still insist on the application of new standards.

A VR official said Vietnam is now behind the world when it is still using Euro 2 standards, while other countries are applying Euro 5.

“The new requirement will force domestic assemblers to improve emission quality,” he said.

“It will also help Vietnam prevent the flow of old cars from developed countries,” he said.

A report showed that there are 3 million automobiles in circulation, while the emission volume has increased by 2.5 times. The air pollution in Vietnam has become alarming, especially in Hanoi and HCM City.

Therefore, adjusting the requirements on emissions is a must to ease pollution. Motorbikes will also need specific emission standards.

RELATED NEWS

Vietnam to set emission reduction targets for industry

Vietnam building roadmap on greenhouse gas emissions mitigation