The UK Government has confirmed that new road vehicles in Great Britain will have to meet Euro 7 standards, including minimum battery durability requirements for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
The decision follows a consultation on the regulations, which also cover emissions from vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.
Minimum capacity requirements
Electric vehicles will be required to retain 80% of their original battery capacity after five years or 100,000km, equivalent to approximately 62,000 miles. The threshold will fall to 72% after eight years or 160,000km, around 100,000 miles.
For vans, the capacity requirements will be 75% after five years and 67% after eight years.
The Government said it would lay legislation for the standards from 29 November 2027. Small-volume manufacturers will have until 1 July 2030.
Industry welcomes common benchmark
The Government also announced a further consultation on applying Euro 7 requirements to heavy-duty vehicles. This will take place once the relevant European Union legislation has been developed further and implementation dates have been confirmed.
Toby Poston, chief executive of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, said the battery health standards would help build confidence in electric vehicles.
“We welcome today’s Euro 7 battery health standards. They’re an important step in building trust in electric vehicles, aligning the rules with the global GTR 22 framework is the right approach. It means one consistent benchmark for battery durability across manufacturers, and across different makes and models, so buyers, dealers and leasing companies can finally compare like with like.
“Just as importantly, battery health data should become much easier to access, whether that’s on the dashboard or through the OBD port. That transparency is exactly what the used market needs. The used market has long been a focus for the BVRLA, because that’s where most drivers will make the switch to electric. Our EV Retail Ready programme is designed to support used dealers; standards like these strengthen the market further.
“The message to consumers is simple. Used battery electric vehicles are a smart, affordable choice, and people should buy them with confidence.”