Vauxhall has achieved RDE2 compliance across its entire model range, reducing operating costs for both business and drivers.

The brand says it is the first mainstream manufacturer to achieve full compliance.

Diesel cars that meet RDE2 standards are exempt from the 4% diesel surcharge to the Benefit-in-Kind (BIK) company car tax rate, which has been applicable to all diesel models since 2018.

All new diesel vehicles registered after January 2021 will have to meet the new standard. Vauxhall has achieved compliance nearly a year ahead of the legislation for its entire model line-up, including the all-new Corsa and new Astra.

When the new vehicle emissions test, WLTP, replaced NEDC for all new type approvals in September 2017, the Real Driving Emissions (RDE) test was also introduced to offer an on-the-road measurement.

Under the RDE test, the car is fitted with a portable emission measuring system (PEMS) before being driven for 90 minutes on public roads in different conditions, with both uphill and downhill driving, and a mix of urban and rural roads and motorways.

The NOx limit for the RDE2 standard is up to 1.43 times the Euro 6 lab limit of 80mg/km for diesel and 60mg/km for petrol, an allowance known as the conformity factor. Cars achieving this limit are labelled Euro 6d.

RDE2 will apply to all new registrations from January 1, 2021, before the margin for error – the conformity factor – will be removed by 2023.

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