Starting in July, motor vehicles whose exhaust emissions do not meet the standards will be recalled in China! Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment formulated and issued the “Regulations on the Recall of Motor Vehicle Emissions” (hereinafter referred to as the “Regulations”). According to the “Regulations”, if the Ministry of Ecology and Environment finds that motor vehicles may have emission hazards, the State Administration of Market Supervision, together with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, can conduct investigations on motor vehicle manufacturers and, if necessary, the manufacturers of emission parts. At the same time, the motor vehicle recall has been extended from a safety recall to an emission recall. The “Regulations” are scheduled to come into effect on July 1.
1. Involving National Sixth Emission Standard
According to the “Regulations”, due to design and production defects, motor vehicles emit air pollutants that exceed the standard, or due to non-compliance with the specified environmental protection durability requirements, the motor vehicle emits air pollutants that exceed the standard, and the motor vehicle emits air pollutants due to design and production reasons. If there are other motor vehicles that do not meet the emission standards or unreasonable emissions, the motor vehicle manufacturer shall immediately conduct investigation and analysis, and report the investigation and analysis results to the State Administration for Market Supervision and Administration. If the motor vehicle manufacturer believes that the motor vehicle has emissions hazards, it shall implement it immediately recall.
The emission standards involved in the “Regulations” mainly include GB18352.6-2016 “Light-Duty Vehicle Pollutant Emission Limits and Measurement Methods” and GB17691-2018 “Heavy Duty Diesel Vehicle Pollutant Emission Limits and Measurement Methods”, both of which are the sixth stage in China The emission standard of motor vehicle pollutants is the National Sixth Emission Standard. According to requirements, from July 1, 2020, all light-duty vehicles sold and registered shall meet the requirements of this standard; before July 1, 2025, the fifth phase of light-duty vehicles “in-use compliance inspection” shall still be implemented in GB18352 .5-2013 related requirements. From July 1, 2021, all heavy-duty diesel vehicles produced, imported, sold and registered shall meet the requirements of this standard.
In addition, the “Regulations” adopt the principle of “old cars, new cars and new cars” when implementing emission standards, which is in line with legal requirements and management practices.
2. The recall is included in the file
The “Regulations” strengthen the enforcement of legal responsibilities, and it is clear that motor vehicle manufacturers or operators who violate the “Regulations” related obligations will “be ordered by the market supervision and management department to make corrections and impose a fine of less than 30,000 yuan.” Compared with the requirements of safety recalls and penalties, the preconditions for “not corrected after the expiry date” have been removed, and the “Regulations” have been more authoritative and compulsory, which is conducive to enhancing the effectiveness of recall supervision.
At the same time, the “Regulations” proposed that information on the order of recalls and administrative penalties should be included in the credit file and announced to the public in accordance with the law. This clause is directly related to the brand image and credibility of the producer. The purpose is to enhance the enterprise’s awareness of quality and integrity, form a mechanism for trustworthy incentives and punishment for dishonesty, and to a certain extent, it can also make up for the limitations of the Regulations as a departmental regulation and punishment limit. Urge companies to actively fulfill their recall obligations.
After the “Regulations” is issued, the State Administration for Market Regulation will work with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment to formulate relevant guidance documents to further enhance the operability and enforceability of the “Regulations”. At the same time, a nationwide promotion and training work will be carried out so that motor vehicle manufacturers, component manufacturers and operators engaged in motor vehicle sales, leasing, and maintenance activities can understand the requirements of the “Regulations” and consciously regulate their own production and business behaviors. Perform the recall or assist in recall obligations that you should perform in accordance with the regulations. Make consumers aware of the “Regulations” and safeguard their legal rights in accordance with the regulations
3. Some car companies are under short-term pressure
With the continuous development and growth of the domestic automobile industry, it has become an important pillar industry of China’s national economy. In 2020, China’s auto sales will continue to rank first in the world. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2020, the profit of China’s automobile manufacturing industry is about 509.36 billion yuan, an increase of about 4.0% year-on-year; the operating income of the automobile manufacturing industry is about 8155.77 billion yuan, an increase of about 3.4% year-on-year. According to statistics from the Transportation Administration of the Ministry of Public Security, the number of motor vehicles nationwide in 2020 will reach about 372 million, of which about 281 million are cars; the number of cars in 70 cities across the country will exceed 1 million.
According to data previously released by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, in 2019, the total emission of four pollutants of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter from motor vehicles nationwide was approximately 16.038 million tons. Automobiles are the main contributor to motor vehicle air pollution emissions, and their emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter exceed 90%.
According to analysis by relevant persons from the General Administration of Market Supervision, emission recalls are an internationally accepted practice, which has been implemented for decades in developed countries such as the United States, Europe, and Japan, and has played an important role in reducing vehicle emissions and improving environmental protection. Since the cost of a single-vehicle recall of emissions recalls may be higher than that of a safety recall of vehicles, the “Regulations” will bring greater economic and brand pressure to some motor vehicle companies in the short term, especially those with lower levels of emission technology.
“But from a long-term perspective, the implementation of emission recalls is an inevitable trend. The “Regulations” will prompt the motor vehicle industry to pay more attention to emission technology research and development and related standard requirements, and force companies to actively upgrade technology. For example, motor vehicle companies must strengthen emissions Related research and development and testing, production of motor vehicle products that meet the relevant national emission standards; emission parts manufacturers should take the initiative to innovate and develop high-performance and high-reliability emission parts and components. The implementation of emission recalls is an inevitable trend, and companies can only take the initiative to Only by establishing a standard gap, consolidating the foundation, and strengthening innovation, can we transform from price advantage to comprehensive competitive advantage with technology, brand, quality and service as the core, and achieve high-quality industrial development and truly become a world automotive power.” The relevant person said.
It is understood that since the implementation of the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Law on January 1, 2016, China has implemented emission recalls 6 times, involving 5,164 vehicles, involving brands including Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, BMW and UFOs, and involving components including catalytic Converter, fuel filler pipe hose, exhaust manifold, OBD diagnostic software, etc.
Post time: Dec-18-2021