COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the assessment of the durability performance of heavy-duty vehicles with regard to emissions
Date: 2026-03-09
Institutions: Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission
Subjects: European standard, anti-pollution device, combustion gases, environmental standard, greenhouse gas, large vehicle, motor vehicle pollution, product life, reduction of gas emissions, technical standard

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 9.3.2026  COM(2026) 108 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the assessment of the durability performance of heavy-duty vehicles with regard to emissions  
 
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 

on the assessment of the durability performance of heavy-duty vehicles with regard to 
emissions 

1.  Introduction 

Regulation  (EU)  2024/1257  (the  Euro  7  Regulation)1  on  emission  type-approval  of  motor 
vehicles was adopted in 2024 to improve air quality, in line with the objectives of the European 
Green Deal. This Regulation builds on the Euro 6 emission regulation for light-duty vehicles 
(LDVs)2 and the Euro VI emission regulation for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) and introduces 
new provisions to regulate brake emissions, tyre abrasion and in-vehicle battery durability for 
both  light-  and  heavy  duty  vehicles.  Just  as  Euro  6  and  Euro VI,  also  Euro  7  requires  that 
vehicles respect the emission limits for a specified period of time, called the ‘main lifetime’. 
This is necessary to make sure that emissions requirements are not only fulfilled during type-
approval, but also in practice when vehicles are in use. The main lifetime is described in Table 
1 of Annex IV to the Euro 7 Regulation. Since the ‘main lifetime’ does not reflect the average 
lifetime  of  vehicles  in  the  Union, Article  6(5)  of  Euro  7  introduces  an  ‘additional  lifetime’ 
period, in which the scope of Euro 6 and Euro VI has been extended by 25 per cent beyond the 
vehicle’s ‘main lifetime’. The concept of durability multipliers is introduced to account for the 
deterioration of emission reduction systems beyond the main lifetime.  

Durability multipliers for LDVs and buses of category M2 have been established in the Euro 7 
Regulation, Annex IV Table 2. Deterioration multipliers for HDVs – and in particular vehicles 
of category M3, N2 and N3 – have not yet been laid down in the Euro 7 Regulation. Therefore, 
that Regulation requests the Commission in Article 18(3) to assess the durability performance 
of HDVs with regard to emissions by 31 December 2025 before setting out these durability 
multipliers.  A  technical  assessment  was  conducted  on  behalf  of  the  Commission  by  the 
Consortium  for  ultra–LOw  Vehicle  Emissions  (CLOVE),  which  comprises  a  group  of 
specialised research, testing and certification organisations.  

In this Communication to the European Parliament and the Council, the Commission shares 
the findings of the technical assessment3 and concludes which durability multipliers should be 
set out for the HDV categories in Table 2 of Annex IV to Euro 71. 

1 Regulation (EU) 2024/1257 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on type-approval 
of motor vehicles and engines and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such 
vehicles, with respect to their emissions and battery durability (Euro 7), amending Regulation (EU) 2018/858 of 
the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Regulations (EC) No 715/2007 and (EC) No 
595/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Regulation (EU) No 582/2011, 
Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1151, Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2400 and Commission 
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1362 (OJ L, 2024/1257, 8.5.2024, ELI: 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1257/oj) 
2 Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2007 on type 
approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 5 and 
Euro 6) (OJ L 171, 29.6.2007, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2007/715/oj) 
3 European Commission: Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, 
Plakolmer, B., Hausberger, S. and Weller, K., Durability of Euro 7 heavy-duty vehicle emissions – Technical 
report – LOT2, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2873/7305552 

1 

 
 
 
 
2.  Regulatory background 

2.1.  Historical background 

Vehicle emission regulations in Europe have progressively incorporated lifetime requirements 
and  ‘deterioration  factors’.  Such  lifetime  requirements  ensure  that  emission  performance  is 
maintained not only at the time of type-approval, but throughout the useful life of the vehicle. 
Deteroriation  factors  are  multipliers  or  added  fixed  values,  designed  to  cover  the  expected 
emissions  increase  due  to  wear  and  degradation  of  emission  control  technology4.  For  the 
establishment of these factors, it should be considered that the variety of situations for heavy-
duty  vehicles  is  significantly  broader  than  for  light-duty  vehicles,  since  it  should  cover  all 
driving patterns and other engine use cases. Therefore this required a much more complex and 
rigorous  investigation,  also  due  to  their  longer  service  lives  and  more  diverse  operating 
conditions. 

Deterioration factors for LDVs were introduced in the early 1990s5. At that time, manufacturers 
had to demonstrate, through accelerated ageing tests, that emission control systems remained 
effective over the specified useful life – typically 80 000 kilometres. Later, the introduction of 
on-board  diagnostics  and  real-driving  emissions  testing  improved  the  accuracy  and 
enforcement of durability requirements. 

In contrast, HDVs face greater challenges because they typically operate for longer periods, 
often exceeding 700 000 kilometres or seven years, under more variable and harsh conditions. 
In  2005,  the  Euro  IV6  emission  legislation  introduced  deterioration  factors  for  HDVs. 
Manufacturers could either apply fixed deterioriation factor as laid down by the legislation or 
conduct  ageing  tests  to  demonstrate  actual  deterioration.  In  the  latter  case,  they  needed  to 
demonstrate  that  under  the  specified  deterioration  factors,  the  gaseous  and  particulate 
emissions  of  an  engine  family  or  engine  aftertreatment  system  family  complied  with  the 
appropriate emission limits over the appropriate durability period.  

4 E.g. catalytic converters, sensors and exhaust gas recirculation systems. 
5 First in Council Directive 91/441/EEC. Council Directive 91/441/EEC of 26 June 1991 amending Directive 
70/220/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to measures to be taken against air 
pollution by emissions from motor vehicles (OJ L 242, 30.8.1991, p. 1, ELI: 
http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/1991/441/oj) 
6 Commission Directive 2005/78/EC of 14 November 2005 implementing Directive 2005/55/EC of the 
European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the 
measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from compression-ignition 
engines for use in vehicles, and the emission of gaseous pollutants from positive ignition engines fuelled with 
natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas for use in vehicles and amending Annexes I, II, III, IV and VI thereto (OJ 
L 313, 29.11,2005, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2005/78/oj) 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
2.2.  Euro 7 

The  Euro  7  Regulation,  introduces  lifetime  requirements  for  both  light-  and  heavy-duty 
vehicles. These lifetime requirements consist of a ‘main lifetime’ and an ‘additional lifetime’. 
Table 2 of Annex IV to the Euro 7 Regulation provides for durability multipliers to take account 
of deterioration over the additional lifetime (see Table 1).  

Within the main lifetime, the emission limits as stated in Table 2 of Annex I to Euro 7 are valid. 
For  the  additional  lifetime,  the  emission  limit  values  must  be  multiplied  by  the  relevant 
durability multiplier, indicated in Table 17. 

Durability multipliers 

M1, N1 and M2 

N2, N3 ≤ 16 t,  
M3  ≤ 7,5 t 

N3 > 16 t,  
M3 > 7,5 t 

Durability multiplier for 
additional lifetime 

1,2 for gaseous 
pollutants 

Table 1 - Durability multiplier table from Euro 7 

The Euro 7 Regulation already introduced a durability multiplier of 1,2 for LDVs and vehicles 
of category M2. This effectively means that the limit values for gaseous emissions are increased 
by 20% when a vehicle reaches the additional lifetime, by distance or age. For HDVs, durability 
multipliers  still  need to  be established. To this end,  the following  provision  is  laid down in 
Article 18(3) of Euro 7: ‘By 31 December 2025, the Commission shall submit to the European 
Parliament  and  to  the  Council  a  report  assessing  the  durability  performance  of  heavy-duty 
vehicles with regard to emissions.’ On the basis of that report, the Commission is empowered 
in accordance with Article 15 (1) (f) to set out the durability multipliers in Table 2 of Annex 
IV. 

The  durability  multiplier  must  be  determined  for  two  groups  of  HDVs,  depending  on  the 
vehicle  category  and  the  maximum  vehicle  mass. Table  2  sets  out  the  main  and  additional 
lifetimes for both groups of HDVs8. 

Lifetime of vehicles 

N2, N3 ≤ 16 t, M3 ≤ 7,5 t 

N3 > 16 t, M3 > 7,5 t 

Main lifetime 

Additional lifetime 

300 000 km or 8 years, 
whichever comes first 
375 000 km or 10 years, 
whichever comes first 

700 000 km or 12 years, 
whichever comes first 
875 000 km or 15 years, 
whichever comes first 

Table 2 - Main and additional vehicle lifetimes from Euro 7 

7 From Table 2 of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2024/1257 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 
April 2024 on type-approval of motor vehicles and engines and of systems, components and separate technical 
units intended for such vehicles, with respect to their emissions and battery durability (Euro 7). 
8 From Table 1 of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2024/1257 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 
April 2024 on type-approval of motor vehicles and engines and of systems, components and separate technical 
units intended for such vehicles, with respect to their emissions and battery durability (Euro 7). 

3 

 
 
  
  
 
 
 
3.  Assessment of durability multipliers 

3.1.  Vehicle database 

Since Euro 7 heavy-duty vehicles are not yet on Europe’s roads, an assessment based on test 
data  from  these  vehicles  was  not  feasible.  The  assessment  therefore  used  several  relevant 
sources of emissions data, based on the latest technology used in Euro VI diesel vehicles. Given 
the limited increased stringency of Euro 7 compared to Euro VI, using data from the latest Euro 
VI  vehicles  is  deemed  the  most  appropriate  approach  on  short  term.  In  line  with  the 
establishment  of  deterioration  factors  of  LDVs,  an  assessment  based  on  diesel  emissions  is 
assumed to be valid for other engine designs too. 

The test data used were retrieved from: 

- 

testing multiple vehicle pairs of the same vehicle manufacturer and model, with at 
least one vehicle having a low mileage (<100 000 km) and one having a high mileage 
(near or above main lifetime mileage). Most of the vehicle pairs had the latest Euro VI 
technology on board (steps D or E); 

-  databases containing on-road emissions data from all vehicles and remote sensing 

data from previous testing; 
- 
test data and estimations from truck manufacturers; 
-  engine test bed results from US regulatory test cycles.  

3.2.  Method 

The  technical  assessment  used  different  methods  to  calculate  deterioration  of  the  emission 
reduction system’s performance. For the vehicle pairs tested, emissions at the end of the main 
lifetime and at the end of the additional lifetime were estimated by extrapolation. The difference 
in emissions was subsequently compared against the Euro 7 emission limits.  For other data 
sets, both extrapolation and linear regression were used to estimate the deterioration, depending 
on the dataset type. The method separated results for lighter HDVs, such as light trucks and 
city buses (N2, N3 ≤ 16 t, M3 ≤ 7,5 t) and for heavier HDVs such as heavy trucks and coaches 
(N3 > 16 t, M3 > 7,5 t). It also distinguished between different emission components, i.e. NOx, 
NH3, N2O, CO, HC, CH4, NMOG and PN23. Extreme outliers in terms of observed deterioration 
were not considered, as these outliers were detected in vehicles with malfunctions or in vehicles 
that were tampered with. 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3.3.  Results of the technical assessment performed by CLOVE 
3.3.1.  Lighter heavy-duty vehicles 

The  durability  values  obtained  through  the  assessment  for  lighter  heavy-duty  vehicles 
according to different methodologies are shown in Table 3. According to the data presented in 
the table, a value of 1,2 would represent a typical durability multiplier for diesel engines. This 
assessment is mainly based on measurements of technology in vehicles with emission standard 
Euro  VI  steps  D  or  E,  as  these  vehicles  are,  from  a  technological  standpoint,  the  most 
comparable to Euro 7 vehicles. 

TUG/
FVT9 

HBEF
A 5.1 

HBEF
A10 
4.2 

Remot
e 
sensin
g 

Exhau
st 
emissi
on 
com-
ponen
t 

US27 
(SwRI
11) – 
measur
e-ment 
value + 
add-on 
emissio
ns 

US27 
(SwRI) – 
Euro 7 
WHTC
12 limit + 
add-on 
emission
s 

OE
M 1 

OE
M 2 

Plume 
chasin
g 

NOx 

1,17 

1,26 

1,18 

1,09 

1,01 

1,07-
1,23 

1,20 

1,17 

1,2-
1,3 

NH3 

1,09 

N2O 

0,93 

1,29 

1,16 

0,88 

0,98 

1,01 

1,12 

1,10 

1,08 

1,22 

1,03 

1,29 

1.05 

1,02 

1,19 

1,00 

CO 

HC 

CH4 

1,00 

1,10 

NMO
G 

PN23 

1,00 

1,00 

1,00 

Table 3 - Results for lighter HDVs (N2, N3 ≤ 16 t, M3 ≤ 7,5 t) 

9 Technical University Graz (Austria) - Forschungsgesellschaft für 
Verbrennungskraftmaschinen und Thermodynamik (Research Association for Internal 
Combustion Engines and Thermodynamics) 
10 Handbook Emission Factors for Road Transport 
11 Southwest Research Institute 
12 World Harmonized Transient Cycle 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3.3.2.  Heavier heavy-duty vehicles 

The results for heavier heavy-duty vehicles are similar to those for lighter HDVs and are shown 
in Table 4. Here also, according to the data presented in the table, a value of 1,2 would represent 
a  typical  durability  multiplier  for  diesel  enignes. Again,  the  assessment  mainly  focusses  on 
vehicles  with  emission  standard  Euro  VI  steps  D  or  E,  as  these  vehicles  are,  from  a 
technological standpoint, the most comparable to Euro 7 vehicles.  

TUG/
FVT 

HBE
FA 4.2 

HBE
FA 5.1 

Remo
te 
sensin
g 

Exha
ust 
emissi
on 
com-
ponen
t 

OEM 
1 

OEM 
2 

Plum
e 
chasi
ng 

US27 
(SwR
I) – 
meas
ure-
ment 
value 
+ 
add-
on 
emissi
ons 

US27 
(SwR
I) – 
Euro 
7 
WHT
C 
limit 
+ 
add-
on 
emissi
ons 

NOx 

1,20 

1,25 

1,19 

1,09 

1,01 

1,09-
1,30 

1,16-
1,20 

1,20 

1,05 

NH3 

1,06 

N2O 

0,99 

< 1 

< 1 

0,88 

0,98 

CO 

1,00 

1,08 

1,09 

1.06 

1,22 

1,03 

HC 

1,26 

1.05 

1,02 

CH4 

1,01 

1,01 

NMO
G 

1,19 

1,00 

PN23 

1,01 

1,00 

1,00 

Table 4 - Results for heavier HDVs (N3 > 16 t, M3 > 7,5 t) 

1,02 

1,01 

1,01 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4.  Conclusions 

The conclusion from the technical assessment based on available Euro VI data on emission 
performance  deterioriation,  proposes  a  durability  multiplier  of  1,2  for  Euro  7  vehicles. The 
assessment  considers  multiple  exhaust  emission  components  for  setting  the  durability 
multiplier. Vehicles with emission standard Euro VI steps D or E are used for the assessments, 
as these vehicles are, from a technological standpoint, the most comparable to Euro 7 vehicles. 
A durability multiplier of 1,2 is in line with the durability multiplier for light-duty vehicles and 
buses of category M2. 

7