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EU updates brake particle test for light vehicles under Euro 7

Læs på danskThis is a machine-generated English rendering of the Danish summary.

The European Commission replaces the reference to UN GTR 24 with UN Regulation No 179 as the test procedure for brake particle emissions from vehicles in categories M1 and N1.

DecisionEnvironment & NaturePublished3 September 202610 days ago
EUR-Lex EU-Tidende
EUR-Lex EU-Tidende
Part of Den Europæiske Union
- Key points
  • Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1214 of 9 June 2026 amends the Euro 7 Regulation (EU) 2024/1257.
  • The reference to UN GTR 24 is replaced with UN Regulation 179 for brake particle testing of M1 and N1 vehicles.
  • The new procedure covers PM10, PM2.5, TPN10 and SPN10 as well as testing of brake filter technologies.
  • The WLTP-Brake cycle comprises 303 brake events over 192 km at an average of 43.7 km/h.
  • The regulation enters into force on the 20th day after publication in the Official Journal and is directly applicable.

Background and Purpose

The European Commission has adopted Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/1214 of 9 June 2026, amending the Euro 7 Regulation (EU) 2024/1257 as regards conditions for testing compliance with brake particle emission limits. The regulation replaces the existing reference to UN Global Technical Regulation No 24 with the newer UN Regulation No 179 on the laboratory measurement of brake emissions for light-duty vehicles.

The amendment reflects technological progress and data collected during testing of 'Euro 7' brakes. According to the Commission, the new procedure includes:

  • Further harmonisation and improvement of the testing environment
  • High-precision measurement of PM10, PM2.5 and particle numbers
  • Testing of new technologies such as brakes equipped with passive or active emission-reduction filters
  • Calculation of brake emissions for the entire vehicle

Scope of Application

The regulation applies to vehicles of categories M1 (passenger cars) and N1 (light goods vehicles) as well as Euro 7ext vehicles in accordance with Article 5(2) of the Euro 7 Regulation. The delegated regulation enters into force on the twentieth day following its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union and is binding in all Member States.

"It is therefore appropriate to amend the requirement in Table 4 in Annex III to Regulation (EU) 2024/1257 to replace the reference to UN Global Technical Regulation No 24 with a reference to UN Regulation No 179 on the Laboratory Measurement of Brake Emissions for Light-Duty Vehicles."

— Recital 2 of the Regulation

The WLTP-Brake Cycle

UN Regulation No 179 establishes a detailed test procedure based on the WLTP-Brake cycle. Key parameters of the cycle:

ParameterValue
Total duration of active speed control15,826 seconds
Number of trips10
Number of brake deceleration events303
Total distance driven192 km
Average speed43.7 km/h
Maximum speed132.5 km/h
Average brake deceleration rate0.97 m/s²
Maximum brake deceleration rate2.18 m/s²

The test comprises three sections: a cooling adjustment section, a bedding section with five repetitions of the WLTP-Brake cycle, and an emissions measurement section with one repetition.

Test System Requirements

UN Regulation No 179 sets extensive requirements for testing facilities, including:

  • Brake dynamometer: Variable-speed electric motor, servo controller for brake actuation, and instrumentation for data acquisition
  • Cooling air: Temperature 23 °C (±2 °C), relative humidity 50 % (±5 %), and constant airflow
  • Brake enclosure: Length 1,200–1,400 mm, height 600–750 mm, with electropolished stainless steel
  • Sampling tunnel: Inner diameter 175–225 mm, maximum one bend of 90°
  • Particle measurement: PM10 and PM2.5 gravimetrically with cyclonic separators, TPN10 and SPN10 with particle number counters (PNC)

Brake Emissions Families and Friction Braking Share Coefficients

The regulation defines brake emissions families based on brake characteristics. For vehicles with non-friction braking capability (regenerative braking), vehicle-specific friction braking share coefficients are applied:

Vehicle TypeFriction Braking Share (c)
ICE and full-friction braking1.0
NOVC-HEV Category 00.90
NOVC-HEV Category 10.72
NOVC-HEV Category 20.52
OVC-HEV0.34
PEV (pure electric)0.17

Testing facilities may use vehicle-specific friction braking share coefficients measured on a chassis dynamometer in accordance with Annex C of the regulation.

Calibration Requirements

The regulation establishes minimum calibration intervals for equipment:

InstrumentInterval
Brake dynamometerUpon installation, yearly, and at major maintenance
Airflow measurement deviceUpon installation, yearly, and at major maintenance
Microbalance (PM filters)Upon installation, yearly, and at major maintenance
Particle Number Counter (PNC)13 months and at major maintenance
Dilution system (TPN10)6 or 13 months
VPR (SPN10)6 or 13 months

Adoption and Entry into Force

The regulation was adopted in Brussels on 9 June 2026 on behalf of the Commission by its President Ursula von der Leyen. The regulation has EEA relevance and is directly applicable in all Member States. It is published in the Official Journal of the EU and refers to the Euro 7 Regulation (EU) 2024/1257 and UN Regulation No 179 (EU) 2026/1044.

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