Chinese domestic carmaker Geely Auto announced the new models of its entire product lineup have been replaced with the vehicles that meet the “China 6b”, the strictest-ever emission standard which are supposed to be implemented from July 1, 2023 as per the state's request. 

The statement came shortly after China's announcement saying the China Ⅵ emission standards will be carried out nationwide starting July 1, 2020, and automakers in the country are to be banned from producing China Ⅴ light-duty vehicles at the same time.

Released at the end of 2016, the China 6 standards apply to light-duty vehicles weighing up to 3,500kg of maximum mass primarily powered by gasoline and diesel. It features two sets of fuel-neutral emission limits—China 6a and 6b—for air and climate pollutants, including carbon monoxide (CO), total hydrocarbons (THC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), particle number (PN), and nitrous oxide (N₂O).

To cushion the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, China policy makers have decided to postponed the expiry date of the PN (particle number) limit value at 6.0×1012 units/km for half a year to December 31, 2020. The China Ⅵ light-duty vehicles manufactured and imported from January 1, 2021 should be within the PN emission limit of 6.0×1011 units/km.

Additionally, the registration and sale of the China Ⅴ light-duty vehicles produced and imported before this year's July 1 are still permitted in regions where the China Ⅵ criteria have not been carried out there until December 31, 2020.

Geely Auto said it completed the transition to China 6b once for all on account of the China 6b vehicles' higher resale values, and freedom of the troubles in ownership transfer and annual check-up as the China 6a products should be eliminated after three years