To protect our environment from negative effects of vehicle exhausted emissions and ensure all in-use vehicles could comply with emissions standards, the competent authority EPA has enacted various vehicle emissions control regulations in accordance to the “Air Pollution Control Act” in Taiwan. The main objective of this project is to promote and execute new vehicle emissions control related work items, and the project is being executed annually from 2009 to 2011. In order to reduce emissions from vehicles effectively and improve air quality, four goals were set which include: new vehicle emissions control; perform certification process electronically; draft new emissions control measures, and promote green vehicles.
As to the 2010 new vehicle emissions control, 338 new vehicle emissions type approval certificates were being issued, and 293,481 new vehicles registered using these certificates. To ensure the conformity of production, 66 selective new vehicle tests were being conducted in EPA designated testing laboratories and 1,785 new vehicles were being quality control tested by manufacturers. The test results resemblance to the certification values. For the recall investigation work item, 10 models of 2006 and 2007, totally 50 in-use vehicles were being tested and the results were resemblance to the relevant certification values; the recall notice in the US and other countries were also collected continuously and if the recalled vehicle models have been sold in Taiwan, the related domestic manufacturers or importers were requested to provide explanation or execute their own recall measures if necessary.
This project also coordinated with the BOO program for test laboratories auditing and management to facilitate imported in-use vehicle testing and carry out new vehicle emissions control measures.
As to the certification process electronically, the certification management system is setting online gradually start from April 1, 2010 which include: apply for certificates, documents verification, and test results inspection etc. The efficiency of inquiring application information, application status, and document verification improved dramatically, and the estimated forest carbon reduction and carbon sequestration effectiveness about 387.8 kg CO2 per month. To improve the effectiveness of vehicle emissions control, this project also performed overview, planning, and establishing OBD related functionalities such as program auditing and quality control test verification.
As to the emissions control regulations amendments drafting, this project has held consulting and discussion meetings with vehicle manufacturers and importers for the topic of harmonizing with the trend in the US and EU to set more stringent vehicle emissions standards. The draft regulation related public hearing and procedures have been promulgated on November 10, 2010. As to the PM measurements on GDI vehicles, 10 repeat tests and 4 laboratories relevant comparison tests were being conducted to investigate whether or not the test requirements, procedures and equipment adjustments could meet the new Stage 5 emissions standards requirements on GDI vehicles. By changing the parameter settings on sampling and analyzing systems to investigate the reliability of test instruments, 8 vehicle tests were being conducted, the results have shown that current equipment could fulfill Stage 5 emissions test requirements on HC and NOx measurements. Twenty aged vehicles emissions tests were being conducted and analyzed with test results being performed in previous years, the estimated total emissions from 2010 model year vehicles is lower than 2009 model year vehicles. The estimated effects of enacting the Stage 5 emissions standards could reduce about 365 tons of CO, 18 tons of HC, and 26 tons of NOx emissions.
As to the green vehicle promotion, by holding the 2010 green vehicle press conference, the project proposed evaluation method was verified and being used as the green vehicles selection standards and choose the green vehicles of 2010 and 2011 as purchase reference for the public. This project also released vehicle emissions impacts on environment related news and issues such as green vehicles press conference, import in-use vehicles from abroad, eco-driving etc on vehicle magazines, through the influence power of expertise columns to educate drivers to use their vehicles eco-friendly to the environments.
