Government confirms adoption of Euro 7 emissions

The UK Government has confirmed it will adopt Euro 7 emissions standards for new cars and vans registered in Great Britain, bringing UK vehicle approval rules into line with the EU. 

The Department for Transport will introduce legislation requiring all-new models of cars and vans (light duty) to comply with Euro 7 from 29 November 2026. All newly registered light duty vehicles will have a further year to comply. Small volume manufacturers (those registering fewer than 2,500 vehicles per year) will have until 1 July 2030 to meet the new testing procedure. 

The standards extend beyond the Euro6 position of simply measuring exhaust emissions and now include limits on particles from brakes and tyres plus Euro 7 requires cars to have real-time, on-board emissions monitoring with driver warnings when maintenance or repair is needed to these systems. The new rules also introduce minimum battery performance requirements and in-car battery monitoring for battery electric vehicles (BEVS) and Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles (PHEVs); something that should help boost residual values of EVs.  

The Government said the decision followed a consultation that attracted 67 responses, with most respondents supporting the move. The move aligns the UK with EU requirements and avoids duplicate type-approval testing by car manufactures and aftermarket suppliers. 

A separate consultation will address implementation dates for heavy-duty vehicles once the relevant EU timetable is established. 

For a full breakdown of what the Euro 7 regulations mean for fleet operators read the Fleet Alliance full Euro 7 guide here.