Discovery
Beijing, the bustling capital of China, has taken significant steps to improve its environmental protection and combat air pollution by implementing stricter vehicle emission standards and promoting the adoption of new energy vehicles (NEVs).
The city's latest move is the enforcement of the China National VI emission standard, with the most recent phase (National VI Stage 6b) fully enforced from July 1, 2023. This stringent standard prohibits the production, import, and sale of vehicles that do not meet these emission limits, marking a significant tightening compared to previous standards such as National V and China-5 stages that Beijing adopted earlier in the 2010s.
The timeline of key vehicle emission standards in Beijing is as follows: - China-4 (equivalent to Euro-4) was enforced starting March 2008. - China-5 Stage for light-duty vehicles started in January 2013, and for heavy-duty vehicles in August 2015. - The proposal for China-6 standard was released in April 2016 by the Ministry of Environmental Protection. - National VI (China-6) standards began being implemented nationally from January 1, 2019. - Full implementation of National VI Stage 6b started on July 1, 2023.
Besides stricter emission standards, Beijing, along with other key Chinese cities, is aggressively promoting NEVs as part of its broader air quality improvement strategy. By mid-2025, NEVs account for nearly 45% of all new vehicle registrations in China, with Beijing among the leading cities adopting electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. The national fleet of NEVs reached 36.89 million units by June 2025, supported by expanded charging infrastructure and government incentives.
In addition to these measures, Beijing is also taking steps to enforce sustainability reporting and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) disclosure standards for major listed companies, aiming to improve corporate environmental accountability. The city is encouraging the use of low-carbon energy sources such as wind, solar, hydropower, and natural gas to reduce overall emissions in energy and industrial sectors. Policies are being implemented to support the reduction of coal, gasoline, diesel, and other high-carbon fuel consumption within urban transport and industrial logistics.
These measures are part of China's broader commitment to peak carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality. The government is drawing up a program to ensure Beijing and its surrounding regions work in concerted efforts to combat air pollution.
The stricter emission standard for Beijing's motor vehicles is aimed at reducing automobile exhaust, the biggest source of air pollution in the Chinese capital. More than three quarters of total air pollution in large cities like Beijing comes from vehicle carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions.
The municipal government will strengthen dust suppression in addition to imposing the emission standard V. In 2010, the number of days with air quality classified as excellent and good accounted for 78.4 percent of the whole year, an increase of 14.3 percent from 2005. However, no new information about the number of days with poor air quality was provided.
Zhang Lijun, vice-minister of environmental protection, made the announcement at a press conference during the annual session of the National People's Congress. Beijing will apply the national standard V for vehicle emission in 2012 ahead of schedule. Zhang Lijun acknowledged that the air-quality index used in China is less strict than those used by developed countries.
The number of motor vehicles in Beijing more than quadrupled from 1 million in 1997 to 4.76 million at the end of 2010. However, no new information about the current number of motor vehicles in Beijing was provided. The program will be implemented stringently in the next five years.
In summary, Beijing's adoption of the China National VI emission standard fully implemented in mid-2023 marks the current peak in its vehicle emission controls. This is combined with a rapid shift towards electric and hybrid vehicles and broader regulatory and energy transition measures to comprehensively address urban air pollution. The city's commitment to sustainability and environmental protection is evident in its ongoing efforts to improve air quality and combat pollution.
- Beijing's strategy to combat air pollution extends beyond vehicle emission standards, encompassing the promotion of new energy vehicles (NEVs) that account for nearly 45% of all new vehicle registrations by mid-2025.
- To enhance corporate environmental accountability, Beijing is encouraging sustainability reporting and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) disclosure standards for major listed companies.
- In line with China's broader commitment to peak carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, policies are being implemented to support the reduction of high-carbon fuel consumption in urban transport and industrial logistics.
- The stricter emission standard for Beijing's motor vehicles, such as the China National VI standard, is aimed at reducing automobile exhaust, a significant contributor to air pollution in the city.
- The municipality is also working on dust suppression measures, with the aim of further improving air quality in Beijing and keeping up with the country's growing focus on environmental-science and policy-and-legislation in the face of climate-change.
