DieselNet: Emission Test Cycles

Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles

Test Cycle (WLTC)
Time-speed data points: WLTC Class 3b | WLTC Class 3a | WLTC Class 2 | WLTC Class 1

Background

WLTC Test Cycles

Tests for Hybrid & Electric Vehicles

Background
The Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Cycles (WLTC) are chassis dynamometer tests
for the determination of emissions and fuel consumption from light-duty vehicles. The tests
have been developed by the UN ECE GRPE (Working Party on Pollution and Energy) group
[2624]. The WLTC cycles are part of the Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedures

(WLTP), published as UNECE Global technical regulation No 15 (GTR 15) [3553]. While the
acronyms WLTP and WLTC are sometimes used interchangeably, the WLTP procedures define
a number of other procedures—in addition to the WLTC test cycles—that are needed to type
approve a vehicle.

The WLTP replaces the European NEDC based procedure for type approval testing of light-
duty vehicles [3635][4056][4057], with the transition from NEDC to WLTP occurring over 2017-
2019. The WLTP is also introduced for vehicle certification in Japan.

The WLTP procedures includes several WLTC test cycles applicable to vehicle categories of
different power-to-mass (PMR) ratio, Table 1. The PMR parameter is defined as the ratio of
rated power (W) / curb mass (kg) [3553]. The curb mass (or kerb mass) means the “unladen
mass”, not including the driver, as defined in ECE R83 [3903]. However, EU regulations [3635]
appear inconsistent with GTR 15 and replace the curb mass with “mass in running order”,
which includes the driver and is 75 kg higher.

The cycle definitions may also depend on the maximum speed (v_max), which is the
maximum speed of the vehicle as declared by the manufacturer (ECE R68) and not any use
restriction or safety based limitation. Cycle modifications are allowed to accommodate
drivability problems for vehicles with power to mass ratios close to the borderlines or with
maximum speeds limited to values below the maximum speed required by the cycle.

Table 1
WLTC test cycles

Category PMR, W/kg v_max, km/h Speed Phase Sequence

Class 3b PMR > 34 v_max ≥ 120 Low 3 + Medium 3-2 + High 3-2 + Extra High 3
Class 3a v_max < 120 Low 3 + Medium 3-1 + High 3-1 + Extra High 3
Class 2 34 ≥ PMR > 22 - Low 2 + Medium 2 + High 2 + Extra High 2
Class 1 PMR ≤ 22 - Low 1 + Medium 1 + Low 1

WLTC Test Cycles

Class 3 Cycle
With the highest power-to-mass ratio, Class 3 is representative of vehicles driven in Europe
and Japan. Class 3 vehicles are divided into 2 subclasses according to their maximum speed:
Class 3a with v_max < 120 km/h and Class 3b with v_max ≥ 120 km/h. Selected parameters of
the Class 3 cycles are given in Table 2, and the vehicle speed for Class 3b is shown in Figure 1 (in
this representation, Class 3a trace would look very similar).

Table 2
WLTP Class 3 cycle: selected parameters

v_ave v_ave
Stop
Duration Distance p_stop v_max w/o w/ a_min a_max
Phase Duration
stops stops
s s m km/h km/h km/h m/s² m/s²
Class 3b (v_max ≥ 120 km/h)
Low 3 589 156 3095 26.5% 56.5 25.7 18.9 -1.47 1.47
Medium 433 48 4756 11.1% 76.6 44.5 39.5 -1.49 1.57
3-2
High 3- 455 31 7162 6.8% 97.4 60.8 56.7 -1.49 1.58
2
Extra- 323 7 8254 2.2% 131.3 94.0 92.0 -1.21 1.03
High 3
Total 1800 242 23266
 Class 3a (v_max < 120 km/h)
Low 3 589 156 3095 26.5% 56.5 25.7 18.9 -1.47 1.47
Medium 433 48 4721 11.1% 76.6 44.1 39.3 -1.47 1.28
3-1
High 3- 455 31 7124 6.8% 97.4 60.5 56.4 -1.49 1.58
1
Extra- 323 7 8254 2.2% 131.3 94.0 92.0 -1.21 1.03
High 3
Total 1800 242 23194

140
Low Medium High Extra High

120

100
Speed, km/h

80

60

40

20

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Time, s

Figure 1. WLTC cycle for Class 3b vehicles

Class 2 Cycle
Class 2 is representative of vehicles driven in India and of low power vehicles driven in Japan
and Europe. Selected parameters of the Class 2 cycle are given in Table 3, and the vehicle speed
is shown in Figure 2.

Table 3
WLTP Class 2 cycle: selected parameters

v_ave v_ave
Stop
Duration Distance p_stop v_max w/o w/ a_min a_max
Phase Duration
stops stops
s s m km/h km/h km/h m/s² m/s²
 Low 2 589 155 3101 26.3% 51.4 25.7 19.0 -0.94 0.90
Medium 433 48 4737 11.1% 74.7 44.3 39.4 -0.93 0.96
2
High 2 455 30 6792 6.6% 85.2 57.5 53.7 -1.11 0.85
Extra- 323 7 8019 2.2% 123.1 91.4 89.4 -1.06 0.65
High 2
Total 1800 240 22649

140
Low Medium High Extra High

120

100
Speed, km/h

80

60

40

20

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Time, s

Figure 2. WLTC cycle for Class 2 vehicles

Class 1 Cycle
With the lowest power-to-mass ratio, Class 1 is representative of vehicles driven in India.
Selected parameters of the Class 1 cycle are given in Table 2, and the vehicle speed is shown in
Figure 3.

Table 4
WLTP Class 1 cycle: selected parameters

v_ave v_ave
Stop
Duration Distance p_stop v_max w/o w/ a_min a_max
Phase Duration
stops stops
s s m km/h km/h km/h m/s² m/s²
Low 1 589 154 3330 26.1% 49.1 27.6 20.4 -1.00 0.76
 Medium 433 48 4767 11.1% 64.4 44.6 39.6 -0.53 0.63
1
Low 1 589 154 3330 26.1% 49.1 27.6 20.4 -1.00 0.76
Total 1611 356 11428

140
Low Medium Low

120

100
Speed, km/h

80

60

40

20

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Time, s

Figure 3. WLTC cycle for Class 1 vehicles

Cycle Modifications
For some vehicles, it may not be possible to follow speed/time requirements of the cycle. The
reasons for this are:

1. Vehicles with power to mass ratios close to the borderlines between Class 2 and Class 3
vehicles or very low powered vehicles in Class 1 may not be able to achieve the
accelerations required to maintain cycle speed. In these cases, a downscaling procedure
can be applied to reduce the maximum acceleration rates to improve driveability. A
consequence of this procedure is a reduction of maximum cycle speeds.

2. Some vehicles may have a maximum speed limited to a value lower than the maximum
speed of the downscaled cycle. In these cases, the vehicle shall be driven with its
maximum speed in those cycle periods where the cycle speed is higher than the maximum
speed of the vehicle. An example of vehicles for which this applies is Class 3a vehicles over
the Extra-High 3 phase.

3. Some vehicles may not be able to follow the speed trace of the downscaled cycle within the
required tolerance for specific periods. In these cases the vehicle shall be driven with the
 accelerator control fully activated during these periods. In these cases, driving trace
violations are permitted.

Tests for Hybrid & Electric Vehicles

The WLTP includes special provisions for testing of various categories of hybrid-electric and
electric vehicles: OVC-HEVs (off-vehicle chargeable hybrid electric vehicles); NOVC-HEV (not
off-vehicle chargeable hybrid electric vehicles); and PEV (pure electric vehicles).

All OVC-HEVs, NOVC-HEVs and PEVs are classified as Class 3 vehicles. Emissions and a number
of other parameters are tested over the respective Class 3 (Class 3a or Class 3b) cycle, in both
charge-depeting and charge-sustaining modes. In addition, certain parameters are tested over
WLTC city cycles, composed of the low and medium speed phases only. The test matrix is
summarized in Table 5.

Table 5
WLTC test matrix for hybrid and electric vehicles

WLTP WLTP city

Charge-depleting
Criteria Emissions, FC,
CO2, AER, EAER, RCDC,
RCDA, EAC
OVC-HEV Class 3a Low 3 + Medium 3-1 +
High 3-1 + Extra High 3
Class 3b Low 3 + Medium 3-2 +
High 3-2 + Extra High 3
NOVC- Class 3a --
HEV
Class 3b --
PEV Class 3a Low 3 + Medium 3-1 +
High 3-1 + Extra High 3
Class 3b Low 3 + Medium 3-2 +
High 3-2 + Extra High 3
Charge-sustaining Charge-depleting
Criteria Emissions, FC, AERcity, EACcity
CO2
Low 3 + Medium 3-1 + Low 3 + Medium 3-1
High 3-1 + Extra High 3
Low 3 + Medium 3-2 + Low 3 + Medium 3-2
High 3-2 + ExtraHigh 3
Low 3 + Medium 3-1 + --
High 3-1 + ExtraHigh 3
Low 3 + Medium 3-2 + --
High 3-2 + Extra High 3
-- Low 3 + Medium 3-1
-- Low 3 + Medium 3-2
 WLTP WLTP city
Charge-depleting Charge-sustaining Charge-depleting
Criteria Emissions, FC, Criteria Emissions, FC, AERcity, EACcity
CO2, AER, EAER, RCDC, CO2
RCDA, EAC
Abbreviations:
AER - All-electric range
EAER - Equivalent all-electric range
EAC - Recharged energy
FC - Fuel consumption
NOVC-HEV - not off-vehicle charging hybrid electric vehicle
OVC-HEV - off-vehicle charging hybrid electric vehicle
PEV - pure electric vehicle
RCDA - Charge-depleting actual range
RCDC - Charge-depleting cycle range