AUTOMOTIVE
VEHICLE CATEGORIES
Clearly defined vehicle categories are essential for the competitiveness of the automotive industry. The categories classify vehicles for regulatory purposes, enable manufacturers to benefit from the EU Single Market, and allow them to export their products beyond the EU.
Main Categories of Vehicles
Classifications of Light-duty and Heavy-duty Vehicles
Importance of vehicle categories
Vehicle categories are a crucial part of a well-functioning type-approval system. While the EU type-approval system allows manufacturers to benefit from the opportunities offered by the internal market, worldwide technical harmonisation in the context of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) offers them a market extending beyond European borders.
Total technical harmonisation has already been achieved in light and heavy-duty vehicles, motorcycles, and some agricultural and forestry tractors.
L-category vehicles
The EU is working on implementing the EU-type approval system for L-category vehicles (two-, three- and four-wheel vehicles such as motorcycles, mopeds, quads, and minicars). New laws established under Regulation 168/2013 will ensure that future L-category vehicles will pollute less and meet the highest safety standards possible.
The current Directive 2002/24/EC will be repealed at the end of 2015 and replaced by Regulation 168/2013. The EU type-approval legislative requirements set out in the Regulation should become the worldwide standard.
List of legislation on L-category vehicles.
T-category vehicles
As of 2016, the new Regulation 167/2013 will allow manufacturers of tractors to voluntarily apply for EU whole-vehicle type-approval for all categories covered by this Regulation.
A comprehensive EU type-approval system was established by Directive 2003/37/EC. This Directive limited the mandatory application of the EU whole-vehicle type-approval procedure to vehicle categories (T1, T2 and T3). This directive will be repealed at the end of 2015 and replaced by Regulation (EU) No 167/2013. In order to complete the internal market and to ensure its proper functioning, Regulation 167/2013 will allow manufacturers to voluntarily apply for EU whole-vehicle type- approval for all categories covered as of 1 January 2016. The delegated and implementing acts to the Regulation have been adopted between September 2014 and March 2015.
List of legislation on T-category vehicles.
Main Categories of Vehicles
- Category M: Vehicles carrying passengers.
- M1: Passenger cars with no more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat.
- M2: Vehicles for more than eight passengers with a maximum weight not exceeding 5 tonnes.
- M3: Vehicles for more than eight passengers with a maximum weight exceeding 5 tonnes.
- Category N: Vehicles carrying goods.
- N1: Light commercial vehicles with a maximum weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes.
- N2: Medium duty vehicles with a maximum weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes.
- N3: Heavy duty vehicles with a maximum weight exceeding 12 tonnes.
- Category L: Vehicles with less than four wheels (and quadricycles).
- L1e: Two-wheel mopeds.
- L2e: Three-wheel mopeds.
- L3e: Two-wheel motorcycles.
- L4e: Two-wheel motorcycles with a sidecar.
- L5e: Three-wheel motorcycles.
- L6e: Light quadricycles.
- L7e: Heavy quadricycles.
- Category T: Agricultural and forestry tractors and their trailers.
- T1: Wheeled tractors with a maximum design speed not exceeding 40 km/h, used mainly in agriculture.
- T2: Wheeled tractors with a maximum design speed exceeding 40 km/h, used mainly in agriculture.
- T3: Tracked tractors used in agriculture.
- T4: Special vehicles designed for forestry purposes.
Classifications of Light-duty and Heavy-duty Vehicles
- Light-duty Vehicles:
- Passenger Cars (M1): Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of passengers, comprising no more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s seat.
- Vans (N1): Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of goods and having a maximum mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes.
- Heavy-duty Vehicles:
- Trucks (N2, N3): Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of goods. N2 vehicles have a maximum mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes, whereas N3 vehicles have a maximum mass exceeding 12 tonnes.
- Buses and Coaches (M2, M3): Vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of passengers, comprising more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat. M2 vehicles have a maximum mass not exceeding 5 tonnes, while M3 vehicles have a maximum mass exceeding 5 tonnes.
Importance of vehicle categories
Vehicle categories are a crucial part of a well-functioning type-approval system. While the EU type-approval system allows manufacturers to benefit from the opportunities offered by the internal market, worldwide technical harmonisation in the context of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) offers them a market extending beyond European borders.
Total technical harmonisation has already been achieved in light and heavy-duty vehicles, motorcycles, and some agricultural and forestry tractors.
L-category vehicles
The EU is working on implementing the EU-type approval system for L-category vehicles (two-, three- and four-wheel vehicles such as motorcycles, mopeds, quads, and minicars). New laws established under Regulation 168/2013 will ensure that future L-category vehicles will pollute less and meet the highest safety standards possible.
The current Directive 2002/24/EC will be repealed at the end of 2015 and replaced by Regulation 168/2013. The EU type-approval legislative requirements set out in the Regulation should become the worldwide standard.
List of legislation on L-category vehicles.
- Final report: Provision of information and services to perform an initial assessment of additional functional safety and vehicle construction requirements for L7e-A heavy on-road quads (March 2014)
- Final report: International L-category approval in the area of Environmental and Propulsion unit Performance Requirements (March 2014)
T-category vehicles
As of 2016, the new Regulation 167/2013 will allow manufacturers of tractors to voluntarily apply for EU whole-vehicle type-approval for all categories covered by this Regulation.
A comprehensive EU type-approval system was established by Directive 2003/37/EC. This Directive limited the mandatory application of the EU whole-vehicle type-approval procedure to vehicle categories (T1, T2 and T3). This directive will be repealed at the end of 2015 and replaced by Regulation (EU) No 167/2013. In order to complete the internal market and to ensure its proper functioning, Regulation 167/2013 will allow manufacturers to voluntarily apply for EU whole-vehicle type- approval for all categories covered as of 1 January 2016. The delegated and implementing acts to the Regulation have been adopted between September 2014 and March 2015.
List of legislation on T-category vehicles.
- Final Report: Development of technical requirements / performance specifications for a) tracks and b) exterior and accessories of agricultural and forestry vehicles (December 2013);
- Final report: Assessment on the availability of technology allowing vehicles of categories T2, T4.1 and C2 to fulfil Stage IV emission limits.