Motorcycle trade relieved

From 1 January 2021, the new so-called Euro 5 emission standard will apply throughout Europe. Vehicles of the Euro 4 emission standard may then only be registered for the first time from this deadline by means of an exemption permit in a limited quantity and for a limited period of time – the technical term for this is the expiring series.

Essen, 21 October 2020. But in the year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the orderly transition from the old to the new norm could lead to a serious sales problem for retailers and manufacturers due to the sometimes hard lockdown of the first wave.

That is why the European Parliament has adopted by a large majority a Covid-19 measure to introduce a special scheme for motorcycles under the Euro 4 emission standard.

Christoph Gatzweiler, Head of Technology at the IVM, explains the two options for extended approval for Euro 4 vehicles: "In addition to the normal expiring series with a corresponding exemption from the German Federal Motor Transport Authority, there will be a one-off Covid-19 measure. Contrary to some press releases, this measure also limits the maximum number of vehicles that will only be eligible for registration in 2021. The Covid-19 measure must also be subject to an application for an exemption for an expiring series in the respective EU Member State. It is not a free ticket for a fundamental extension of The Euro 4. The Euro 5 will definitely come on 01.01.2021.

The vehicle manufacturer can now choose one of the two measures for its excess stock. He even has the choice for each individual type approval. Although the normal expiring series is limited to the number of 10% of registered vehicles of a type from 2019 and 2020, it has the advantage that the registration capacity of the approved vehicles extends to two years (2021 and 2022).

Under the Covid-19 measure, however, new registration would only be possible for a further 12 months until 31.12.2021, but the number of vehicles would be higher.

The applicant should therefore carefully examine which of the two rules for an expiring series best fits the type of vehicle concerned.'