FROM INFINEUM INTERNATIONAL LIMITED

PASSENGER CARS,
COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

18 JULY 2023

Euro 7 emission
standards
Assessing the potential implications for
automotive engine lubricants

According to the European Commission, road transport is

the largest source of air pollution in cities. To ensure cleaner
vehicles on its roads, to improve air quality and to meet the
European Green Deal's zero-pollution ambition, the
Commission has proposed the Euro 7 emissions standard
for new cars, vans, lorries and buses sold in the European
Union. Infineum’s Uwe Zimmer and Etienne Martin explore
 the Euro 7 proposal and the potential impacts on future light-
duty and heavy-duty engine lubricants.

The content and timing of Euro 7 have been topics of much

speculation over a long period of time. But, on November 10
2022, the European Commission (EC) lifted the veil,
publishing the Euro 7 proposal. Before looking into the
technical details and its potential impact on lubricants, it is
important to understand Euro 7 is still a draft. Prior to
adoption it must go through the ordinary legislative
procedure under the Lisbon Treaty in the European
Parliament and the EC.

Opinions about the proposed Euro 7

standards are as diverse as can be
expected from a very broad set of
stakeholders.

These range from “not ambitious enough”, “completely

unrealistic” through to “detrimental to transport sector
decarbonisation”. In other words the Euro 7 situation
remains fluid as details and implementation plans are
refined, and as stakeholders continue to lobby, while the
legislative process progresses towards negotiations
between the Commission, the Parliament and the Council.

Euro 7 in a nutshell
The general objectives of Euro 7 are to reduce the
complexity of current emissions standards, provide up-to-
date limits for all relevant pollutants and improve control of
real-world emissions. The Euro 7 proposal replaces
previously separate emission rules for cars and vans (Euro
6) and lorries and buses (Euro VI), bringing emission limits
for all these motor vehicles under a single set of rules.

The new rules are fuel- and technology-neutral, placing the

same limits regardless of whether the vehicle uses petrol,
diesel, electric drivetrains or alternative fuels. In addition,
durability requirements have been extended and, on this
point, it is worth noting that Euro 7 also specifies durability
requirements for batteries. Rules for non-exhaust emissions
- equally applicable to all vehicles regardless of propulsion
system - were also added.

Perhaps one of the most impactful changes introduced with

Euro 7 is the shift from laboratory-based engine testing to
real-driving emissions (RDE) testing under wider RDE
boundaries.

Timings
According to the proposal, the Euro 7 regulation will enter
into force on July 1 2025 for new light-duty vehicles and July
1 2027 for new heavy-duty vehicles.

As part of Europe’s decarbonisation actions, light-duty

vehicles with an internal combustion engine (ICE) can only
be registered after 2035 if they run exclusively on CO2
neutral fuels. This could make these Euro 7 emissions
standards the last in Europe to specify light-duty vehicle
exhaust gas limits.

The relatively small applicable Euro 7 fleet has fuelled

discussions about the positive impact this regulation can be
expected to have on the environment versus the technology
advancements and investment efforts required.

Technical details - light-duty vehicles

Euro 7 is fuel agnostic and, in general terms, the most
severe Euro 6d limits for diesel or gasoline (highlighted in
red) have been carried over to Euro 7. A new limit for
ammonia (NH3) has been introduced. Also new is a new limit
‘architecture’ with a budget limit for all regulated pollutants
for the first 10 km per trip (Emission Budget); above 10 km
the limits per km as shown in the table below apply.

However, some significant changes are less obvious:

NOx Nominal 25% reduction for compression ignition

(diesel), also a reduction of the conformity factor
(CF) from 1.43 to 1 (-30%). A CF of 1 means NOx
emissions as per Euro 7 legislation cannot be
higher when measured on road under the
 prescribed conditions (RDE vehicle testing) than
in the laboratory.
PN Now covers particles ≥ 10 nm (previously ≥ 23
nm in Euro 6d); this leads to a significantly higher
particle count. Furthermore, as for NOx, the CF
has been reduced to 1 which brings an additional
increase in severity.

Expected impacts on light-duty lubricants

Euro 7 is still in draft status and individual OEMs may come
up with different solutions to the challenges. Understanding
the full impact on the lubricant will therefore be an iterative
process. However, likely implications can be extracted from
the current Euro 7 proposal. The table below summarises
how lubricant requirements could develop as a
consequence of its introduction.

Technical details - heavy-duty vehicles

For heavy-duty vehicles, just as for light-duty, Euro 7 shifts
the focus from laboratory-based engine testing to RDE
vehicle testing. However, a direct comparison of Euro VI
with Euro 7 is more difficult for heavy-duty. First because
Euro 7 limits of pollutants already regulated under Euro VI
have been tightened, and second, additional pollutants
nitrous oxide (N2O), non-methane organic gases (NMOG),
Formaldehyde (HCHO) and PN covering particles ≥10 nm
PN10 have been included. And lastly, RDE conditions have
been widened as Euro 7 regulates cold and hot emissions
separately for heavy-duty vehicles.

Comparatively, these new heavy-duty vehicle regulations

are more stringent than those for light-duty vehicles. In
addition, since heavy-duty vehicles are more challenging to
electrify than smaller modes of transport, the ICE is
expected to be the powertrain of choice for many years to
come. As a result it is likely that Euro 7 will drive substantial
changes and bring new technologies to the market. In our
view, meeting the severe NOx limits for both hot and cold
conditions will be one of the biggest challenges.

Expected impacts on heavy-duty lubricants

Along with the same potential impacts already flagged for
light-duty diesel engines, in the heavy-duty world we can
expect to see additional challenges. The table below
summarises the way heavy-duty lubricant requirements
could develop as a consequence of Euro 7 introduction.

Getting ready for Euro 7

Euro 7 is a legal requirement – making it a ‘must have’ for
OEMs who wish to maintain and grow their revenues, not
least to help fund the transition to zero-emission vehicles.

Passenger car OEMs in particular may have to reallocate

resources back to the ICE to get ready for Euro 7. This is
likely to be combined with a review of their ICE portfolio with
a trend towards rationalisation. The segment of small ICE
powered vehicle will be under growing pressure since the
cost of Euro 7 compliance will be relatively higher for these
vehicles. In the heavy-duty world, which is less easily
electrified and where ICE sales are likely to account for most
of the revenue in the decade to come, we can expect OEMs
 to dedicate significant resources towards Euro 7 compliance
preparation.

Infineum’s impact assessment clearly

shows that lubricants have a role to play
in the Euro 7 context.

In support, Euro 7 compatible lubricants will be required well

in advance of the application dates to give OEMs time to
validate their Euro 7 hardware and calibrations with these
lubricants. However, with currently proposed Euro 7
introduction timings, there is insufficient time for
fundamentally new lubricant developments.

As highlighted earlier in this article, Euro 7 is not done and

dusted since it still has to go through the ordinary legislative
procedure. Currently the Parliament and Council are
negotiating their own positions ahead of joint discussions.
Media reports in May indicate that eight EU member states,
a potential blocking minority in the Council, have expressed
opposition to new exhaust gas emission rules as such and
in particular regarding the timings.

Euro 7 is one of the many challenges OEMs are facing. The

advanced ICE technology will need to be supported by
advanced lubricant technologies, but neither can be
developed in isolation or overnight. Infineum is committed to
working with its OEM and industry partners to address the
challenges ahead for a sustainable future.

‘INFINEUM’, the interlocking Ripple Device, the corporate mark comprising INFINEUM and the interlocking Ripple
Device and 润英联 are trademarks of Infineum International Limited. © 2023 Infineum International Limited. All rights
reserved.