New regulations affecting all new cars and vans sold in the UK will come into force on November 29, 2026. The Euro 7 standard is a significantly stricter emissions requirement than its predecessor, Euro 6, and applies to both internal combustion engines and hybrid vehicles.
Stricter pollution limits
According to KwikFit, the regulations aim to reduce harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter produced by petrol and diesel engines. Beyond exhaust emissions, the rules also cover particulate pollution generated by tyres and brakes.
Vehicle manufacturers will be required to fit advanced onboard monitoring systems to ensure vehicles stay within legal emission limits throughout their operational lifespan.
Health and environmental impact
The RAC highlights that, at a local level, pollutants such as NOx and particulate matter are believed to contribute to the deaths of roughly seven million people worldwide through poor air quality. At a global level, the European Environment Agency (EEA) claims transport is responsible for around 25% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions, with road transport making up 75% of that figure.
Euro 7 introduces meaningful limits on electric vehicles for the first time, because even EVs produce pollution through tyre particles and brake dust generated during driving. These particles contribute to microplastic pollution and can be extremely harmful when breathed in. Euro 7 aims to ensure new vehicles emit the lowest possible amount of these.
Durability and battery requirements
Cars and vans will need to maintain emissions below the established limits for 10 years or 124,000 miles. Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids will undergo battery testing to evaluate how they degrade over time. As a minimum, batteries must preserve 80% of their initial capacity after five years, and 72% over eight years or 100,000 miles.
Rollout timeline
The first roll-out applies solely to new cars and vans. From November 29, 2027, all cars and vans available for purchase – including those that went on sale before Euro 7 came into force – will need to meet the emissions standards or face a ban on being sold to customers.
Other types of vehicle, such as buses, lorries and trailers, will be subject to different deadlines further down the line, according to the RAC.
