The federal government has announced a timeline for the new engine emissions and fuel quality standards
Late last year, the federal government announced that fuel quality and noxious emissions standards will result in the transition to Euro 6d vehicles.
Consultation with industry and the community has led to new versions of new cars, including SUVs and light commercial vehicles, sold from December 2025 onwards will need to comply with Euro 6d noxious emissions standards.
The government is also reducing the amount of aromatic hydrocarbons in RON 95 petrol, with all petrol vehicles on Australian roads set to be able to use the new grade, with the existing 91 and 98 RON grades to be unaffected.
To simplify the change, the government will align previously announced reductions in sulfur limits for all petrol with new and strengthened aromatics limits.
“The federal government has a laser-like focus on bringing down transport costs and emissions,” federal climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen says.
“The former government talked a lot about making these changes but wasted years without action, now we’re getting on with the job of delivering better health and cost-of-living outcomes.
“These updates to our vehicle standards will see almost 18 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions cut from the transport sector by 2050 – equivalent to taking 280 000 cars off the road.”
The government says these updates will provide Australia with best-practice fuel and noxious emissions standards for new vehicles, saving motorists money through reduced fuel usage.
The updates will also help protect Australians from what the government says is harmful exhaust pollutants that cause respiratory illness and cancer.
The change will bring Australia in line with 80 per cent of the global car market, including the US, Canada, the EU, the UK, Japan, China, Korea and India.
“The changes, along with Fuel Efficiency Standards, are part of delivering cleaner, cheaper to run cars and tackling transport costs for Australian families and businesses,” federal transport minister Catherine King says.
“Tightening Australia’s noxious emissions standards will prevent deaths caused by toxic air pollution.
“Noxious emissions contribute to strokes, respiratory illnesses and cancer and equivalent standards have already been introduced in countries such as the US, China, India and Japan.”