Euro 7 will apply to electric vehicles starting November 29, 2026. Brakes and batteries will also fall under the regulations.
Starting from November 29, 2026, Euro 7 standards will apply to new types of homologated passenger cars. For the first time, specific requirements will also cover electric vehicles. These mainly relate to brake dust, battery durability, and access to the vehicle’s environmental data.
As stated in the document, EU Regulation 2024/1257 aims to “further reduce emissions of pollutants from exhausts and brakes” and establish stricter rules regarding fuel consumption, electricity usage, and battery durability. For EV owners, the biggest change will not be exhaust emissions, which their cars do not produce, but rather the requirements that apply throughout the vehicle’s lifespan.
Electric vehicles will also have emission limits
Euro 7 introduces limits on non-combustion emissions, namely particles generated during brake and tire friction. In M1 category passenger cars, electric vehicles can emit a maximum of 3 mg of dust per kilometer from their brakes. For most combustion engine, hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles, the limit will be 7 mg/km.
The difference takes into account regenerative braking, which uses the electric motor to slow down and reduces the wear on brake discs and pads. However, it does not completely eliminate the problem. Małgorzata Kocoń from BOŚ Bank reminds that Euro 7 covers “dust from brake discs and tire friction” for the first time, with tire particles being one of the sources of microplastics.
In terms of exhaust emissions, the final regulations turned out to be less stringent than the initial proposals by the European Commission. For passenger cars, the limits known from Euro 6 were retained, with particle measurement extended to the PN10 fraction.
Battery with guaranteed minimum capacity and passport
Batteries in M1 category electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles will need to maintain at least 80 percent of their original capacity after 5 years or 100,000 kilometers. After 8 years or 160,000 kilometers, the capacity cannot drop below 72 percent. Euro 7 thus establishes a common European durability threshold instead of leaving manufacturers complete freedom to set standards.
The new feature will also be the Environmental Vehicle Passport, a vehicle’s environmental passport. It is supposed to include data on emissions, fuel and energy consumption, electric range, and battery lifespan. According to Autoblog, the card for a specific vehicle will be linked to its VIN, and drivers will have access to it through a QR code. The manufacturer is required to maintain this information for at least 20 years from the date of production.
Cars will also come equipped with onboard systems to monitor emissions as well as fuel and energy usage, along with safeguards against manipulation. For used EVs, this could make it easier to compare offers, though the passport with certification data cannot replace testing of the battery’s current condition.
There are still no reliable estimates regarding the impact of Euro 7 on prices. ADAC points to the costs of more durable batteries, monitoring systems, passports, and modified brakes, but the estimates suggesting at least a few hundred euros per vehicle have not been confirmed by manufacturers.
The project reporter, Alexandr Vondra, assessed that a “balance between environmental goals and manufacturers’ key interests” has been achieved. Against this backdrop is a rapidly growing market: Fortune Business Insights valued the global electric mobility sector at $768.6 billion in 2025, forecasting $981.2 billion in 2026 and $5.73 trillion in 2034, with an average annual growth rate of 24.7%. However, the first real test of Euro 7 will not be forecasts but vehicles approved after November 2026.
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