Preparing for Stage V emissions standards

The evolution of emission standards for engines used within new non-road vehicles and equipment has introduced new challenges with each successive update. Stage V, due to be implemented 2019-20, introduces a new requirement to reduce Particulate Number (PN) alongside continued control of PM and NOx.

When proposing the new legislation, the European commission stated that; ‘…engines contribute significantly to air pollution and are accountable for roughly 15% of the nitrogen oxide (NOx) and 5% of the particulate matter (PM) emissions in the EU…several technical reviews have concluded that the legislation in its current form has shortcomings’.

The EU commission also highlights; ‘All this is set against recent conclusive evidence on the adverse ill effects of diesel exhaust emissions and especially about particulate matter (diesel soot). One of the main findings is that the size of particles is a crucial factor behind the observed health effects. The issue can only be addressed by limit values that are based on a particulate number count (ie PN count). Therefore, and in line with the developments in the road sector, the introduction of new emission stage (Stage V), which would target particle number limits in addition to particle mass limits appeared appropriate’.