The UK Department for Transport has confirmed that Great Britain will adopt the Euro 7 emissions standard. To minimize bureaucratic effort for automakers, there will be no separate GB-specific approval process; instead, EU and UNECE type approvals will apply so that vehicle models can be sold in parallel in both GB and the EU without additional testing.

From November 2027, the UK will require all newly registered passenger cars and light commercial vehicles to comply with the Euro 7 standard. For the first time, these regulations will extend beyond exhaust emissions. The new standard also addresses environmental impacts relevant to electric vehicles, primarily through mandatory limits on brake and tyre wear particles, as well as strict requirements for battery lifespan.

In the future, vehicle brakes will be subject to fixed limits on particulate matter. Electric vehicles have an advantage here, since they recover a large portion of braking energy through regenerative braking and their mechanical brakes experience less wear. Tyre wear limits will also be introduced gradually to reduce microplastic pollution. This will affect heavier, larger electric vehicles most, as the weight of the vehicle and the width of its tyres significantly impact the amount of particulate matter produced.

Euro 7 also establishes legal minimum standards for the storage capacity of EV batteries. The battery in battery-electric and plug-in hybrid passenger cars must retain at least 80% of its original capacity after five years or 100,000 kilometres. A minimum of 72% is required after eight years or 160,000 kilometres. This protects used car buyers from significantly reduced driving ranges and ensures that batteries do not need to be prematurely replaced.

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