Exhaust Emission Regulations for Germany Opel Tigra B

Information on Exhaust Gas Emissions Test

This chapter contains testing and adjustment instructions and adjustment data for the emissions test that is required by law for vehicles with petrol and diesel engines as of model year 2005.

When the emissions test is being performed it must be checked whether the engine has been adjusted in accordance with the latest state of technology and the emission-reducing systems are operating correctly. As well as having the correct engine settings, a prerequisite for effective minimisation of pollutant emissions from vehicles is the general condition of the engine – such as the air filter element, the spark plugs, the valve clearance and the tightness of the intake systems and the exhaust system.

Only the interaction of all these factors will guarantee compliance with the legal regulations of § 47a StVZO "Exhaust Emission Test - Testing the emissions of motor vehicles in traffic" and Appendix VIIIc "Accreditation of motor vehicle workshops for the performance of safety tests and/or checks on emissions and training of responsible persons and employees" and VIIId "Test centres for performance of main tests, safety tests, emission tests".

On 1st January 2009, the EU Stage V European Emissions Legislation came into effect. This specifies amongst others that in relation to EURO 4 standard, nitrous oxide emissions (NOx) must be reduced by more than 25% for petrol, natural gas and liquid gas powered vehicles to max. 60 mg/km, and for diesel-powered vehicles by more than 20% to 180 mg/km. The Directive also requires a reduction in particulate emissions (for petrol-powered vehicles with lean mix direct injection) to 5 mg/km. This is a new limit value which did not exist in the EURO 4 standard. For diesel-powered vehicles, the particulate emissions are reduced by 80% in relation to the EURO 4 standard, to 5 mg/km.

Vehicles Eligible for Tax Relief

EURO 3 and EURO 4 vehicles

Passenger vehicles whose exhaust gas characteristics, from the point when first registered for use on public roads, comply as a minimum with the EURO 3 or EURO 4 limits, as per Directive 98/69/EC, are temporarily exempt from tax for a period equal to the value of the awarded exemption, which for EURO 3 is 127.82 euros (petrol engines) / 255.65 euros (diesel engines) and for EURO 4 is 306.78 euros (petrol engines) / 613.55 euros (diesel engines). The vehicle must be first registered before 1st January 2000, for EURO 3, and before 1st January 2005 for EURO 4. From a vehicle taxation point of view, emissions groups D3 and D4 are regarded as equal to EURO 3 and EURO 4, if evidence is given in good time that the vehicle model complies with all necessary requirements.

3 litre and 5 litre cars

Passenger vehicles whose carbon dioxide emissions – calculated in accordance with Directive 93/116/EC – do not exceed 90 g/km (3 litre car) or 120 g/km if first registered before 1st January 2000 (5 litre car), are temporarily exempt from tax for a period equal to the awarded exemption of 511.29 euros (3 litre car) or 255.65 euros (5 litre car).

Passenger vehicles which at the same time meet all the tax exemption requirements for a 3 litre car / 5 litre car and EURO 3 / EURO 4, are awarded an exemption equal to the respective sum of the aforesaid values.

The tax exemption value is converted into a vehicle-specific exemption period and is always calculated to the day. The exemption period is not affected by change of ownership or temporary laying up of the vehicle and will expire at the latest on the 31st December 2005. The duration of a tax exemption period is calculated from the engine size and the tax rates for each 100 cm 3 of engine capacity, which, from 1st January 2004 were set at 6.75 euros for passenger vehicles with petrol engines and 15.44 euros for passenger vehicles with diesel engines. The temporary tax exemption period expires at the latest on 31st December 2005, regardless of whether the exemption periods have run their full course or not by then.

Other favoured types of drive

Where alternative fuels (e.g. natural gas or rape seed oil) or hybrid vehicles are used, the aforesaid rules apply accordingly for vehicles with internal combustion engines (petrol and diesel). Additional incentives are not envisaged.

Tax Exemption Euro 5 and Euro 6 Vehicles

A Government resolution of 5 December 2008 specifies that for passenger vehicles which meet the EURO 5 or EURO 6 emissions standard, no tax shall be levied for a period of maximum 2 years if the vehicle was first registered between 5th November 2008 and 30th June 2009. The tax exemption for passenger vehicles expires however at the latest on 31st December 2010. The tax charge of 1.20 Euro per 100 cm 3 capacity for diesel vehicles without particulate filter however remains unaffected. The keeper of a Euro 5 passenger vehicle registered before 5th November 2008 pays no vehicle tax for one year from 1st January 2009.

Motor Vehicle Tax Rates

The vehicle's exhaust gas characteristics established at the type approval stage are expressed in the form of a code number for passenger vehicles. This code is located in the vehicle registration/identification documents and is the 5th and 6th digit in field 1 – Type of vehicle and body. Additional text notes in field 5 – Type of drive – such as "OTTO/GKAT51" may also be significant. In the following, the value of the tax exemption and the tax rates are shown for the respective code numbers. The present and future tax can be easily calculated by consulting the vehicle registration/identification documents and by multiplying the respective tax rate by the cubic capacity of the engine and dividing by 100 cm 3 . The result is always rounded down to the nearest whole Euro.

Vehicle Rates

Overview of Tax Exemption Values

All new EURO 4 passenger vehicles registered for the first time between 5th November 2008 and 30th June 2009 pay no vehicle tax for one year. The tax charge of 1.20 Euro per 100 3 capacity for diesel vehicles without particulate filter however remains unchanged.

Overview of Taxation Rates (In the "Old" Tax System, for First Registrations Before 1st July 2009)

The Vehicle Tax by Capacity and CO 2 Emission from 1st July 2009

The new vehicle tax in principle applies only to cars which were first registered after 1st July 2009.

Vehicles with Petrol Engine

For calculation, the following formula is used:

• 2 Euro per gramme CO 2 (above the tax-free limit of 120 g ) and
• 2 Euro per 100 cm 3 capacity.

Overview for engines up to 3000 cm 3 . The CO 2 amounts are given in steps of tenths.

For calculation of the tax:

• read the capacity in field P1 of the vehicle registration certificate (part 100 3 must be rounded up)
• Read the CO 2 emissions in field V.7 of the vehicle registration certificate (e.g. for 162 g/km , add 2 g/km x 2 Euro = 4 Euro to the table value for 160 g/km ).

Tax Table Petrol Engines

Note. Figures in bold show that only the capacity-related tax rates are applied.

Vehicles with Diesel Engine

For calculation, the following formula is used:

• 2 Euro per gramme CO 2 (above the tax-free limit of 120 g ) and
• 9.50 Euro per 100 cm 3 capacity.

Overview for engines up to 3000 cm 3 . The CO 2 amounts are given in steps of tenths.

For calculation of the tax:

• read the capacity in field P1 of the vehicle registration certificate (part 100 3 must be rounded up)
• Read the CO 2 emissions in field V.7 of the vehicle registration certificate (e.g. for 162 g/km , add 2 g/km x 2 Euro = 4 Euro to the table value for 160 g/km ).

Tax Table Diesel Engines

Note. Figures in bold show that only the capacity-related tax rates are applied.

Vehicle Identification

Correct vehicle identification plays an extremely important role in performing the exhaust gas emissions test. Allocation to the relevant inspection procedure is defined by e.g. the text and code number under field 5 of the vehicle registration/identification documents. These contain information concerning drive type and mixture formation.

Exhaust gas emissions test data from the vehicle registration/identification documents:

1. 1. Text in field 1
2. 2. Code no. in field 1
3. 3. Text in field 5
4. 4. Code no. in field 5

New Vehicle Documents

From 1st October 2005, all newly registered motor vehicles, stored vehicles or re-registered second-hand vehicles will only receive the new EU-harmonised registration documents. In this case, the registration certificate part I corresponds to the previous vehicle registration document. Some data relevant to vehicle identification are now to be found in a different place from the previous documents. The data on exhaust gas classification previously in field 1 are now to be found in the fields 14 (text) (1) and 14.1 (code) (2). The new code numbers have four digits, whereby the last two numbers of the previous numbers are retained and are preceded by the digits 04 (cars) or 06 (heavy goods vehicles). The data previously present in field 5 are now in fields P.3 (text) (3) and V.9 (pollutant class) (4).

The three digit type code numbers (TCN) have been changed from numbers to letters. Since this change took place during the current model year, old and new type code numbers exist for the model year 2006. Therefore both numbers are listed in the tables which follow.The vehicle models Combo-C and Astra-H Estate can either be registered as "multi-purpose vehicle" or "combi-saloon". The corresponding classification is dependent on the gross vehicle weight rating and therefore in some engine versions on the equipment fitted.

1. 1. Field 14 Exhaust gas classification
2. 2. Field 14.1 Code number (CN) of exhaust gas classification
3. 3. Field P.3 Text, type of fuel or power source
4. 4. Field V.9 for pollutant class relevant to EC type approval (field added for new vehicles)
5. 5. Field P.1 Capacity (cm 3 )
6. 6. Field V.7 CO 2 emission (g/km)

Data in the Vehicle Identification Document Regarding Exhaust Gas Characteristics (Selection)

Data in Vehicle Identification Document Regarding Drive Type and Mixture Formation

Selection of most important code numbers for drive types

Selection of the Most Important Code Numbers for the Types of Drive in the New Vehicle Documents

Model-Related Code Number (Sn) and Manufacturer/type Code Number (Hsn/tsn)

Engine Identification

Up to 5 typical design characteristics are used for engine identification. These are explained below using 2 examples.

Explanations

1

) For diesel vehicles without particulate filter, from 1st April 2007 the taxation rate rises by 1.20 Euro per 100 cm3 capacity. The tax charge is specified until 31st March 2011.

2

) see "Tax exemption EURO 5 and EURO 6 vehicles"

3

) Vehicles with closed-loop catalytic converter

4

) Vehicles with "on-board diagnostic system"

5

) LPG variant

6

) Petrol or diesel variant

7

) If classified as multi-purpose vehicle

8

) If classified as a combi-saloon.

9

) Up to and including model year 2006.

10

) As of model year 2007.

11

) The difference between vehicles with and without panoramic roof only applies to model year 2005. As of model year 2006 onwards the TCN for vehicles without panoramic roof applies to all Astra GTC vehicles.

12

) without DPF with control unit B 06 022

13

) with DPF with control unit B 05 019 (MT transmission) or B 05 021 (AT transmission)

14

) without DPF with control unit B 06 024

15

) with DPF with control unit B 05 028

16

) without DPF with control unit B 06 023

17

) with DPF with control unit B 05 020 (MT transmission) or B 05 022 (AT transmission)

18

) without diesel particulate filter, with control unit B 04 021

19

) Estate without diesel particulate filter, with control unit B 06 015

20

) without diesel particulate filter, with control unit B 04 022

21

) without diesel particulate filter with control unit B 04 018 or with diesel particulate filter with control unit B 04 016

22

) Estate with diesel particulate filter, with control unit B 06 013 and saloon

23

) without diesel particulate filter with control unit B 04 003 or with DPF with control unit B 04 017

24

) without diesel particulate filter, with control unit B 06 015

25

) with diesel particulate filter with control unit B 04 016

26

) with diesel particulate filter with control unit B 06 013

27

) with diesel particulate filter with control unit B 04 017

28

) Type F7 / Heavy goods vehicle

29

) Combi 3- / 6-seater

30

) Combi 9-seater

31

) Tour 8-seater

32

) Life 7-seater

33

) Type E7 / Heavy goods vehicle

34

) see data sheets as MCNs, TCNs and CNs differ for passenger vehicles and heavy goods vehicles

35

) f35Passenger vehicle (Type J9) with window

36

) Heavy goods vehicle (Type F9) without window

37

) Heavy goods vehicle (type U9) superstructure EiKA

38

) Heavy goods vehicle (type H9) superstructure DoKA

39

) Heavy goods vehicle (Type E9) Platform

40

) Passenger vehicle (Type N9) Bus M2

41

) Platform truck

42

) Tipper truck

43

) For diesel: EURO 3, Stage A