The registration certificate is an essential document for every driver. One of the most important fields on this document is the V7, which indicates the CO2 emissions rate of the vehicle. This field plays a crucial role in several aspects related to taxation, regulations, and even environmental protection. Let’s delve into what this field means and its importance for both drivers and authorities.
Key Points
Explanations and Details
📜 V7 Registration Certificate Field
Indicates the CO2 emissions rate
🌍 Importance of CO2 Rate
Influences taxation and environmental regulations
⚖️ NEDC vs WLTP Standards
Transition from NEDC standard to WLTP standard since March 2020
💸 Ecological Penalty
Significant decrease in trigger threshold in 2024
🔋 Conversion Bonus
Requirement for CO2 rate below 50 g/km for hybrid vehicles
V7 Registration Certificate: CO2 emission rate indicator
The V7 field on the registration certificate, also known as “CO2 emission rate”, indicates the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by a vehicle in grams per kilometer. This value is crucial for calculating the ecological penalty, a tax aimed at penalizing the most polluting vehicles at their registration. Until March 2020, CO2 emissions were measured according to the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) standard. However, this standard was not representative enough of real driving conditions. Since March 2020, the WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure) standard has been adopted. This change was crucial because:
– The WLTP standard considers vehicle options, providing more accurate values.
– It produces higher emission values, better reflecting real driving conditions.
Thus, vehicles registered before March 2020 display emissions based on the NEDC standard, while those registered after this date comply with the WLTP standard.
Why is the CO2 emission rate (V7 registration certificate) important?
The CO2 emission rate has several direct and indirect implications for drivers:
– Impact on ecological penalty: The ecological penalty is a tax designed to discourage the purchase of highly polluting vehicles. In 2023, the penalty was triggered starting from 123 g/km of CO2. In 2024, this threshold was lowered to 118 g/km. The higher the CO2 emission rate, the higher the penalty.
– Interaction with ecological bonus and conversion bonus: Low CO2 emission vehicles can benefit from an ecological bonus, reducing the initial cost of the vehicle. Electric and hybrid cars, for example, are often eligible for this bonus. The conversion bonus encourages replacing an old, polluting vehicle with a cleaner model. Since 2019, only hybrid and electric vehicles are eligible for this bonus. Plug-in hybrid vehicles must emit less than 50 g/km of CO2 to qualify.
– Deductions for vehicles using E85 super ethanol: Vehicles running on E85 super ethanol benefit from a 40% deduction on their CO2 emissions, unless these emissions exceed 250 g/km. This incentive encourages the adoption of more environmentally-friendly fuels.
Vehicle Type Calculation Standard CO2 Emission Rate
Before March 2020 NEDC Simplified representation
After March 2020 WLTP Real driving conditions
What is the impact of the CO2 emission rate on the price of my registration certificate?
The price of the registration certificate is directly influenced by the CO2 emission rate indicated in the V7 field. The higher this rate, the higher the tax. This ecological tax is an incentive to choose less polluting vehicles.
Exemptions and special cases
Since 2021, second-hand vehicles are exempt from the ecological penalty. Additionally, electric vehicles are not subject to this tax, reducing the overall cost of their registration. In case of missing V7 and V9 values on the registration certificate, this information can be obtained through the certificate of conformity provided by the manufacturer. The V9 field indicates the Euro standard of the engine, which primarily evaluates emissions of carbon monoxide, fine particles, and nitrogen oxides.
Euro standard and Crit’Air sticker
The Euro standard and Crit’Air sticker are also elements to consider. The Euro standard, indicated in the V9 field of the registration certificate, is not directly related to CO2 emissions, but it classifies vehicles according to their atmospheric pollutant emissions. The Crit’Air sticker, on the other hand, assigns a ranking to vehicles based on their pollutant emissions and plays a crucial role in access to certain restricted traffic zones.
CO2 emission rates NEDC and WLTP on registration certificate
Vehicle homologation standards have evolved to allow better evaluation of CO2 emissions and other pollutants. The NEDC standard was used before March 2020, but it did not represent real driving conditions. The WLTP standard, adopted since March 2020, is stricter and more realistic.
NEDC vs WLTP
The NEDC standard offered much lower and often unrealistic values. It did not take into account the different vehicle options that could influence fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The WLTP standard came to correct these shortcomings. It takes into account:
– Vehicle mass
– Installed options
– Different driving profiles
Thanks to these elements, the values obtained are closer to the real consumption and emissions of the vehicle.
Evolution of ecological penalty thresholds
The ecological penalty trigger threshold changes regularly. In 2023, it was set at 123 g/km. In 2024, this threshold was lowered to 118 g/km to encourage the purchase of less polluting vehicles. If you own a vehicle using E85 super ethanol, you benefit from a 40% deduction on emission rates, unless it exceeds 250 g/km.
V7 registration certificate and conversion bonus: Impact?
The V7 field of the registration certificate has a direct impact on the eligibility of your vehicle for the conversion bonus and other tax incentives aimed at reducing polluting emissions.
Eligibility criteria and conversion bonus
To qualify for the conversion bonus, the new or used vehicle you purchase must emit a limited amount of CO2. Plug-in hybrid vehicles, for example, must emit less than 50 g/km of CO2 and have an electric range of over 50 km. These criteria are set to encourage the acquisition of cleaner vehicles.
Additional benefits for low-emission vehicles
In addition to this bonus, some regions offer additional benefits to low-emission vehicles, such as reductions in registration taxes and parking facilities. Electric vehicles often benefit from free parking or subsidized charging stations.
For owners of professional vehicles, understanding how insurance works is necessary. You can learn more about this topic by visiting this page on commercial vehicle insurance.
Crit’Air sticker criteria
The Crit’Air sticker is another incentive to reduce pollution. It classifies vehicles into six categories based on their pollutant emissions. The cleanest vehicles receive a Crit’Air 1 sticker, while the most polluting ones do not. This sticker is essential for driving in increasingly restricted traffic zones in France.
Ecological penalties and bonuses in other countries
In France, the ecological penalty and bonus are well-known elements. However, other countries have similar systems to encourage clean vehicles:
– In Germany, an ecological bonus is available for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
– In Norway, electric cars are exempt from the vast majority of vehicle taxes.
– In the UK, a tax on high-emission vehicles (Vehicle Excise Duty) applies, as well as a bonus for clean vehicles.
These international policies demonstrate the increasing importance of reducing CO2 emissions in the automotive sector.
Lastly, for more information on hybrid vehicle insurance, you can check out this article on the specifics of hybrid car insurance.
