Emissions standard
Euro 2
Compulsory for new car registrations from 1 January 1997.
1 January 1997
0.7 g/km
0.08 g/km
Checked on 23 March 1994.EUR-Lex, Directive 94/12/EC, Annex item 3: Euro 2 limit values for category M vehicles (as of 23 March 1994)
Clean air zone verdict for a car at this standard
Charged
A petrol car at Euro 2 is below the Euro 4 pass mark, so it pays the daily charge.
Charged
A diesel at Euro 2 is below the Euro 6 pass mark, so it pays the daily charge.
What is Euro 2?
The first stage to split petrol and diesel. Carbon monoxide came down sharply on both, and the combined hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide figure roughly halved on petrol. Direct injection diesels were given a softer figure until 30 September 1999, at 0.9 g/km combined and 0.10 g/km particulates.
Euro 2 limits, in g/km
| Pollutant | Petrol | Diesel | Change from Euro 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon monoxide (CO) | 2.2 | 1 | 63 per cent lower on diesel |
| Hydrocarbons and NOx combined | 0.5 | 0.7 | 28 per cent lower on diesel |
| Particulate matter (PM) | No limit set | 0.08 | 43 per cent lower on diesel |
Common questions
- When did Euro 2 come in?
- It applied to new car registrations from 1 January 1997, having applied to new type approvals from 1 January 1996. The registration date is the one that matches a DVLA record, so it is the one to use when reading a car's age against a standard.
- Is a Euro 2 car allowed in a clean air zone?
- A petrol car does not meet the Euro 4 pass mark and a diesel does not meet the Euro 6 pass mark, so a Euro 2 car of either fuel pays the daily charge.
- What does Euro 2 actually limit?
- The first stage to split petrol and diesel. Carbon monoxide came down sharply on both, and the combined hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide figure roughly halved on petrol. Direct injection diesels were given a softer figure until 30 September 1999, at 0.9 g/km combined and 0.10 g/km particulates.
- Where is the standard written on my car?
- Section D.2 of the V5C. It is also on the certificate of conformity the manufacturer issued, which is the document an operating authority will accept if a zone has the wrong figure on record for your car.