Emission standard to take effect on April 30

The National Emission Standard V, a stricter emission standard for vehicles, will take effect on April 30, the city's environmental protection bureau announced Wednesday.

The municipal government will stop issuing license plates to vehicles purchased after April 30 that don't meet the new standard, according to the microblog of the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau.

Auto dealers will be prohibited from selling new cars that don't meet the new standard, the bureau said.

Residents who purchased vehicles before April 30 will be allowed to apply for license plates even if their cars don't meet the new standard, the bureau said.

The standard, the 5th edition of the Limits and Measurement Methods for Emissions from Light-duty Vehicles, or the National Emission Standard V, puts stricter limits on emissions than its predecessor, the National Emission Standard IV.

Vehicles that meet the National Emission Standard V emit 23 percent to 25 percent less nitrogen oxide and 82 percent fewer particulates, both key air pollutants in Shanghai.

"I have not been informed about the ban on cars that fail to meet the National Emission Standard V. We don't currently offer discounts on such cars," said Huang Xiaolei, a salesman at a Chevrolet dealership in Minhang district.