Hong Kong Raises Emission Standards On Motor Vehicles

Autoparts Report, June 18, 2001

The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is to impose more stringent vehicle emission standards for certain types of motor vehicles. It will also require the installation of on-board diagnostic system (OBDS) on certain petrol vehicles, and require no new diesel taxis to be registered, according to the amended Air Pollution Control Regulations that was published recently.

A government spokesman said that the amendment regulations aimed to reduce emissions from newly registered motor vehicles, thus helping improve street-level air quality. Under the regulations, Euro III emission standards or the equivalent standards adopted in the United States or Japan will be applied to vehicles which weigh above 3.5 tons and are first registered on or after October 1 this year.

Certain classes of motor vehicles which weigh not more than 3.5 tonnes and are first registered on or after 1 January next year will also be subject to Euro III emission standards. However, newly-registered diesel light buses between 3.5 and 4 tons would continue to be subject to the current Euro II emission standards pending a decision on the way forward on the proposal to replace existing diesel light buses with alternative-fuel vehicles.

The amendment regulation also requires all gas powered vehicles which weigh not more than 3.5 tons and are first registered on or after January 1 next year to install OBDS.

Also published recently were amendments to the Air Pollution Control Regulations to formalize the existing practice of not registering new diesel taxis from August 1 this year and to add to the regulations the emission standards for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) taxis.