INDIA: The current Euro 5 emissions standard may be only three years old, but a new standard is already on the horizon.
The Euro 5+ standard is set to take effect in 2024, refining the current emissions standards for motorcycles by introducing more advanced onboard diagnostics and durability tests.
While Euro 5 has already taken a toll on some manufacturers, Euro 5+ seeks to improve the standards further without significantly changing the existing limits.
Passing the emissions tests alone will no longer be enough to meet the new criteria, and onboard diagnostics, durability tests, and noise tests will all play a crucial role in ensuring the standards are met.
While the emissions limits will remain the same, the durability testing for catalytic converters will significantly change.
Under Euro 5, a mathematical deterioration calculation was acceptable, but Euro 5+ will require a kilometer-long test to see whether the components can hold up over time.
The OBD II level will also get an upgrade, with Euro 5+ requiring the ECU to run a check at least 10 percent of the time that the vehicle is in use, including checking the catalytic converter and the state of the sensors.
The ECU’s diagnostic monitoring will also need to signal whether the vehicle operator cannot use the engine’s full power, such as because of an overheating motor.
Euro 5+ is not a complete revamp of the current standard but a refinement to ensure that criteria are met over the long term.
Manufacturers may find the new standard less daunting than the transition from Euro 4 to Euro 5, as much of the work that went into the combustion system will only need a partial overhaul.
The new standard aims to reduce emissions further and protect the environment.
By requiring advanced onboard diagnostics and durability tests, it ensures that motorcycles remain compliant with the emissions limits in the long run.
However, the transition to Euro 5+ may also affect the cost of production, and some models may become casualties of the new standard, just as the Honda CB1100 was with Euro 5.
As Euro 5+ implementation approaches, how manufacturers will cope with the new requirements remains to be seen.
However, with more advanced onboard diagnostics and durability tests, the new standard promises to improve the current emissions limits without a significant overhaul of existing systems.
As we move closer to the implementation of Euro 5+, it will be interesting to see how manufacturers adapt to the new requirements and how this new standard will affect the motorcycle industry.
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