China accelerates much tougher auto emissions standards

China is tackling some of the worst air pollution in the world, and as such has bought forward the launch of tough new emissions standards, taking many automakers by surprise. According to a report in the Nikkei Asian Review, the new standards will be implemented first in large cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, then spread out to other areas by 2018. Called "National VI," the new standards are intended to be equivalent to the "Euro 6" emissions standards implemented in Europe last year. China's Ministry of Environmental Protection hopes to have a detailed plan for the launch of the new standards by year end, and is known to have been studying California's zero-emission vehicle mandate, which requires carmakers that reach certain sales levels to sell quotas of electric cars or hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. According to Ford CEO, Mark Fields, the new rules will make China the toughest regulatory regime for automakers in the world over the next five years.

BEIJING -- China will introduce stricter environmental standards for automobiles in a bid to cut pollutants in vehicle exhaust by an average of 50% a year.

Chinese and foreign automakers will need to introduce the latest clean-driving technologies and take other steps to meet the new standards.