Euro 7 standard: what it really means and why your petrol or diesel car isn’t under threat

Euro 7 is a European regulation (EU 2024/1257) that sets out new requirements for the type-approval of new vehicles. It succeeds Euro 6 with three major changes:

Slightly stricter exhaust emission limits

The change is less radical than is often suggested. For NOx, the requirements remain similar to those of Euro 6 for passenger cars. The real change lies not in the limit values, but in the measurement conditions: these are now more realistic, reflecting real-world driving conditions, and cover a wider range of temperatures.

Unprecedented requirements for non-exhaust particulates

For the first time, the standard regulates particulates generated by brake and tyre wear. These sources, long overlooked, now account for a significant proportion of vehicle pollution in urban areas, and also affect electric vehicles.

Double the durability of emission control systems

Whereas Euro 6 required emission control systems to remain effective for 5 years or 100,000 km, Euro 7 extends this requirement to 10 years or 200,000 km. This is a major change for manufacturers, who must thoroughly rethink their emission control systems.

The exact timetable

New Euro 6 vehicles may continue to be sold until 28 November 2027. There is no obligation for current owners to replace their vehicles.

This is the key point that many articles fail to mention. Euro 7 does not apply retrospectively. Your Golf TDI, your 3008 hybrid and your 3 Series diesel are not affected by this standard. They will retain their Euro 6 type-approval and will be able to continue to be driven, serviced and maintained exactly as they are today.

Engine remapping, E85 ethanol conversion, servicing your automatic gearbox: none of this is affected by Euro 7. These services apply to your vehicle as it stands today, not to the standards of cars that will roll off the production line tomorrow.

For manufacturers, the stakes are high. Internal combustion engines will become more expensive to type-approve and produce. Some entry-level models will disappear, not because they are banned, but because the cost of bringing them into compliance will no longer be commercially viable. Others will be converted to hybrid powertrains to meet sustainability requirements. This is a trend that Shiftech had anticipated in its analysis on the demise of diesel.

For buyers of new cars: a slight price increase is to be expected for internal combustion and hybrid vehicles, offset by more durable emissions control systems and better long-term residual value. Electric vehicles will, for the first time, be subject to specific battery durability requirements: 80 per cent of capacity retained after 5 years or 100,000 km, and 72 per cent after 8 years or 160,000 km.

Whilst Euro 7 does not pose a direct threat to your current vehicle, it clearly sets out the direction the market is heading: new petrol and diesel cars will gradually become scarcer, more complex and more expensive. Well-maintained and properly prepared Euro 6 vehicles will increase in value, provided they remain reliable and perform well.

Now is the best time to have your combustion-engine vehicle tuned.

A Stage 1 remap on a recent diesel engine means more torque available from low revs, potentially lower fuel consumption, and a driving experience that is radically improved in everyday use. On a petrol or hybrid vehicle, an E85 conversion enables you to reduce your cost per kilometre in the long term, with fuel costing less than one euro compared to standard petrol at most filling stations.

These services are available now at Shiftech, for all Euro 6 engines and across an ever-wider range of recent vehicles thanks to the latest protocol updates.

Does Euro 7 ban the sale of diesel vehicles?

No. Euro 7 tightens the type-approval requirements for new models, but does not ban diesel engines. Existing models may continue to be sold until 28 November 2027, and second-hand diesel vehicles are not affected.

Will my vehicle be banned from the roads under Euro 7?

No. Euro 7 does not introduce any new driving restrictions for vehicles already registered. Driving restrictions remain the responsibility of Low Emission Zones (LEZs), which operate under the Crit’Air system, which is independent of Euro 7.

Is it possible to reprogramme a recent vehicle with the new engine types?

At Shiftech, our coverage of recent ECUs is constantly expanding thanks to protocol updates. If you have just bought your vehicle, check its eligibility directly via the configurator on our website.