Mercedes-Benz Says A And B-Class Engines Already Meet New EU Emissions Standard

Mercedes-Benz said Friday that the engines for two of its popular models already comply with recently approved European legislation aimed at reducing emission.

On 29 May 2012, the European Commission published Directive 459/2012, establishing the EURO 6 emission regulations for vehicles with petrol engines from 2014 for Stage 1, and from 2017 for Stage 2. The new specification stipulates that in the future, petrol models will also have to meet the strict particulate limits of 6 x 1011 particles per kilometre.

But Mercedes-Benz said that a good two years before the new EURO 6 European emissions standard is due to come into effect for all petrol-engined vehicles, the petrol engines of the new Mercedes-Benz A and B-Class have been confirmed as already meeting the required emission limits.

More specifically, the engines also already undercut the particulate limits which are being introduced for the first time for petrol engines. Recoding of models which have already been delivered will also be possible.

“With this advance compliance, Mercedes-Benz is once again highlighting its pioneering role when it comes to the environmental acceptability of its vehicles”, said Dr. Thomas Weber, Board Member responsible for Group Research and Development for Mercedes-Benz Cars. “With our diesel vehicles too, since as early as 2009 we have had an increasing number of models on the market which already meet the EURO 6 diesel requirements which will apply from 2014.”

Mercedes-Benz also played a pioneering role in the automotive industry by reducing nitrogen oxide in the exhaust emissions of diesel passenger cars and trucks with the introduction of BlueTEC technology.

The direct-injection petrol engines in the A 180, A 200 and A 250, as well as in the corresponding models in the B-Class, have succeeded in undercutting the new standard since start of production, and as such even undercut the extremely strict particle number limit of 6 x 1011 per km, which will not become compulsory until the second stage of EURO 6 from 2017.

For vehicles produced from August 2012 (B-Class: September), this will be documented in the vehicle documentation (COC/Certificate of Conformity). Vehicles produced earlier can be appropriately recoded. Customers will be contacted so that they can obtain a new COC document along with manufacturer confirmation from their Mercedes-Benz service partner.