China’s vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance program
China took a big step toward further reducing in-use vehicle emissions when it released a final notice of the establishment and implementation of a vehicle emissions inspection and maintenance (I/M) program in June 2020. The most important feature of this new program is that it establishes a closed-loop management mechanism whereby non-compliant vehicles must be repaired at an accredited maintenance station before they can operate on the road. The policy document requires local authorities to establish and implement the system, describes the process for I/M, specifies the responsibilities of various agencies, and calls for strengthening the supervision and management of I/M stations. Successful implementation will depend on a few crucial factors, including the data-sharing mechanism and requirements, maintenance capabilities of M stations, and the quality of compliance and enforcement in cases of violations such as replacing emission control devices temporarily or falsifying emissions test results.
