National Seven is approaching, how long can your turbocharged car “last”?
Recently, a discussion about the draft of the “National Seven” standards has exploded in the circle of car enthusiasts. Some people discovered that this emission standard, which is called the “strictest in history,” not only cuts the pollutants in the tailpipe in half, but also controls the particles from brake pad wear and tire friction dust. As soon as this news came out, many car owners became restless – how long can my car be driven? Will those cars that barely pass National VI with small-displacement turbines “reveal their true colors” in front of National Seven?
If you think about it, turbocharging has almost become standard equipment for cars on the road now. But veteran drivers all know that the widespread popularization of turbine technology is not so much a matter of technological progress as it is a matter of policy maturity. From National V to National VI, small-displacement turbocharging has become a “shortcut” for car companies to cope with emission regulations – the displacement is smaller, taxes and fees are reduced, and the power data can be improved. But this shortcut is probably about to come to an end in the face of the upcoming Seventh Nation.
The golden age of turbocharging is essentially a “policy bonus period”
In the final analysis, the primary reason why turbocharging can become the mainstream of the market is not how advanced its technology is, but that it happens to be at the right time of policy. From National IV to National VI, emission limits have been tightened. Car companies suddenly discovered that if they want to find a balance between power and emissions, small-displacement turbocharging is almost a “perfect” choice.
How trouble-free is this technical route? With the same displacement of 1.5 liters, the self-priming engine may only have more than 110 horsepower. If it is replaced with a turbocharger, the horsepower can directly increase to 160 horsepower, and the torque can be more than 100 Nm. In the emission test, the smaller the displacement, the lower the basic emissions. Coupled with post-processing devices such as particle traps, it is relatively easy to meet the standards. This is like an exam-oriented education – the questions (emission standards) are getting more and more difficult, but there are always people who can find the “problem-solving skills”.
Many car companies have tasted the sweetness of this “policy dividend”. With relatively low technical investment, the vehicle model can look beautiful in terms of power parameters, and at the same time, it can enjoy the tax benefits brought by the small displacement. But this balance is based on current standards. When the outline of the National Seven Standards gradually became clearer, people discovered that the previous set of standards may not work well.
It is said that the National VII standard reduces the nitrogen oxide emission limit to 30 mg/km and the carbon monoxide emission limit to 100-300 mg/km, which is about 60% lower than the National VI standard. More importantly, it brings non-exhaust gas control items such as brake pad wear particles into supervision for the first time, and also requires electric vehicle batteries to maintain more than 80% energy storage performance within 5 years or 100,000 kilometers. This means that the scope of supervision has been expanded from “exhaust gas” to “full life cycle pollution”.
The Three Dimensions of the “Shock Wave” of National VIII
The first impact: the invisible shackles of using a car
In the past, emission standard updates were mainly targeted at newly produced vehicles. However, the chain reaction brought by National VIII may cause a large number of fuel vehicles in use to feel unprecedented pressure. The Ministry of Ecology and Environment has stated that the National VII standards will strengthen the supervision of diesel trucks. Diesel trucks with National IV and below emission standards are characterized by “low ownership and high emissions”, and the scope of restrictions is expanding from local road sections to core areas.
While currently focused on diesel trucks, the trend could spread to gasoline vehicles. In order to improve air quality, local governments are likely to adopt more restrictive measures on vehicles with low emission standards. For example, expanding restricted areas and improving inspection frequency and standards. What deserves more vigilance is the issue of cross-regional circulation of second-hand cars – new policy barriers may be formed between the implementation areas and non-implementation areas of China VII.
There is no precedent in history. After the implementation of the National VI standards, 21 key cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen have fully implemented the National VI B standards. Used cars with National V emission standards and below cannot be moved into these areas. Because some car owners did not confirm the policy in advance, they were unable to get license plates after purchasing foreign National V models, and ultimately had to resell them at a discount, causing economic losses.
The second impact: value retention rate warning, turbocharged models bear the brunt
If you have experienced the period of switching from National Five to National Six, you should still remember the short-term plummeting prices of certain models of second-hand cars. According to market monitoring data, the terminal selling prices of new National Five cars in 2024 are generally 10%-15% lower than those of the same National VI models, and the discounts for some unpopular models can be up to 20% off. In the second-hand car market, the residual value rate of National V models is significantly lower than that of National VI models, and the price difference can reach 20%-30%.
In the seventh country era, this differentiation may become more obvious. In particular, those models that “barely pass” by relying on small-displacement turbocharging, as well as early National VI models equipped with GPF but with small design margins, face a greater risk of technological obsolescence. You should know that the National VII standard has increased the proportion of actual road emission tests from 30% of the National VI standard to 70%, which means that a car that can pass the test in the laboratory may be “exposed” on the actual road.
The value retention rates of turbocharged models of different brands and different technological maturity levels may vary significantly. Those models with strong technical reserves and large emission control margins will have stronger risk resistance. And those “test models” that are purely designed to meet emission standards will have greater depreciation pressure.
The third impact: the undercurrent of car owners’ car costs
Tighter emission standards mean higher maintenance costs. In order to meet inspection requirements, car owners may need more frequent and detailed maintenance. Especially those turbocharged models equipped with GPF particle traps are more troublesome to maintain.
The GPF system needs to perform “regeneration” operations regularly – either put it in neutral to keep the speed between 2000-2500 rpm for 5 to 10 minutes, or run at high speed regularly to increase the exhaust pipe temperature. If you drive short distances in urban areas for a long time, the GPF is easily clogged, which not only affects the power, but also costs a lot to repair. The turbocharger itself is also a wearing part. Repair cases show that if the turbocharger is damaged, the replacement cost is generally 2,000-5,000 yuan, and the cost of replacing the assembly in a 4S store often reaches 12,000 to 18,000 yuan.
In addition, car owners may also face stricter oil requirements, more special oil selection (must use fully synthetic low-ash engine oil that meets API SP or ACEA C3 standards), and possible driving restrictions. These will increase the uncertainty and cost of daily car use.
How car owners protect their assets and travel freedom
Strategy 1: Refined maintenance to delay “technical obsolescence”
For owners of turbocharged models, current maintenance cannot just stop at the “oil change” level. Based on the characteristics of the turbocharging system and GPF, a more refined maintenance strategy is required.
The first is the selection of engine oil – low-ash fully synthetic engine oil must be used. The floating bearing of the turbocharger completely relies on engine oil for lubrication and heat dissipation. Inferior engine oil or extended use can easily lead to oil film rupture and carbon residue deposition. The replacement cycle should also be flexibly adjusted according to the driving environment: it is recommended to replace every 7,000-8,000 kilometers in urban congested road conditions, and it can be extended to 9,000-10,000 kilometers mainly on highways.
Driving habits also need to be adjusted. After starting a cold car, do not step on the accelerator immediately and idle for 30 seconds to 1 minute. After long-distance high-speed driving or intense driving, do not turn off the engine directly. Let the engine idle for 1-2 minutes, and then turn off the power after the turbine temperature drops. Regularly check the air filter and air intake pipeline sealing, these are important parts of preventive maintenance.
Strategy 2: Adjust driving habits to adapt to the new regulatory environment
The National VII standard includes brake pad wear particles under control, which actually gives car owners an opportunity to adjust their driving habits. Driving smoothly and reducing sudden acceleration and braking can not only reduce brake particle emissions, but also benefit the durability of the vehicle’s mechanical components.
For the GPF system, “regeneration” conditions must be created consciously. If you often drive short distances in urban areas, it is recommended to find an opportunity to run on a high speed every two weeks or so, or to idling regularly to increase the exhaust temperature and promote the combustion of particulate matter.
Strategy 3: Rationally plan the car replacement cycle
In the face of the upcoming National VII standards, now may be the time to re-evaluate the car replacement plan. If your current car meets the National V or lower emission standards, you may need to consider its usage prospects in the next few years.
Emissions potential should be an important consideration when shopping for your next car. Those models with high technological maturity and large emission control margins will be more capable of resisting risks when policies change in the future. Hybrid technology, especially plug-in hybrid technology, may have more advantages in the context of National VIII because it can significantly reduce exhaust emissions.
Technology crossroads for car companies
After the “policy dividend” faded, car companies stood at a technological crossroads. The space for “test-taking” solely relying on turbocharging is getting smaller and smaller, and more essential solutions must be found.
Path One: Deep Optimization of Internal Combustion Engines
This path does not abandon turbocharging, but deeply integrates it with other technologies. The 48V light hybrid system is an example – it is connected to the engine crankshaft through a belt drive, which can provide 30-50N·m starting torque assistance, improving starting response by 18% and reducing start-stop jitter by 60%. Actual measurement data shows that the WLTC fuel consumption of the 2025 GL8 light hybrid version is 8.12L/100km, which is 21% lower than the pure fuel version.
Deep Miller cycle technology is also on the rise. By optimizing the intake and exhaust timing and compression ratio (reaching 15.5:1), it extends the expansion stroke and maximizes the use of combustion energy. The thermal efficiency of Chery’s newly released seventh-generation Tianqing engine exceeds 48%. It uses diamond-like coating piston rings, low-viscosity engine oil and roller rocker arm technology to reduce engine mechanical friction by 30%.
Path 2: Accelerate electric transformation
Hybrids, especially plug-in hybrids, are becoming a realistic option to address emissions challenges. BYD’s DM-i system adopts a “turbocharging + electric charging” dual-mode design to achieve full scene coverage of electric drive in urban conditions and turbine intervention in high-speed conditions. Toyota’s 1.8L Atkinson cycle engine combined with a hybrid system can enable the vehicle’s fuel consumption to reach 4.2L/100km.
The pure electric route fundamentally avoids the exhaust emission problem, but the National VII standards include electric vehicles under supervision for the first time, requiring batteries to maintain more than 80% energy storage performance within 5 years or 100,000 kilometers, which poses new challenges to battery technology.
Path Three: Exploring Alternative Fuels
Long-term possibilities such as hydrogen internal combustion engines and synthetic fuels are also being explored. Although these technologies are difficult to popularize on a large scale in the short term, they represent another possibility for the future of internal combustion engines.
write at the end
The arrival of the National VII standards marks the end of an era – the days when emissions regulations could be dealt with solely by relying on technological “smarts” may be gone forever. Turbocharging, a “shortcut” matured by policies, is facing unprecedented challenges.
This is not to say that there is a problem with the turbocharging technology itself, but that the past model of “small displacement + turbine” that can easily pass the test is inadequate in the face of a more comprehensive regulatory system. Future automotive power technology must move toward deeper optimization and more essential cleanliness.
In the wave of technological revolution and policy drive, both car owners and car companies need to look at the ever-changing “big item” of cars with a more forward-looking perspective. What emission level does your car have? Have you begun to worry about the value and convenience of your car after the implementation of National VIII?
