Euro 7 Starts in 2026: Will New Cars Become More Expensive in Latvia, and What Will the Brake, Tyre and Battery Requirements Change?

The name Euro 7 may create the impression that it is simply another exhaust-emissions standard for diesel and petrol engines.

In reality, the changes are much broader this time.

For the first time, the European Union is using one vehicle-emissions framework to cover not only the exhaust pipe but also brake dust, tyre wear, the durability of electric-vehicle and plug-in-hybrid batteries, real fuel and electricity consumption, system-performance monitoring and environmental information available for each individual vehicle.

Euro 7 will therefore also affect a fully electric car that has no exhaust pipe at all.

This does not mean that every Euro 6 vehicle will suddenly disappear from Latvian showrooms at the end of 2026. The first date applies to the type approval of new vehicle types. Models that have already been approved may still be manufactured and registered during the transition period according to the applicable timetable.

The short conclusion: Euro 7 will not make existing vehicles illegal and does not impose one mandatory price increase. However, manufacturers of new vehicles will have to certify their brakes, monitor system performance, ensure battery durability and gradually use tyres with controlled wear. For some models, this may increase production costs or accelerate their removal from the market.

What exactly is Euro 7?

Euro 7 is the European Union regulation governing vehicle emissions and battery durability.

It replaces the existing Euro 6 framework for passenger cars and the Euro VI framework for heavy-duty vehicles, combining the requirements into a more unified system.

The regulation applies to:

The difference is that not every requirement applies identically to every type of powertrain.

An electric vehicle has no exhaust emissions, but it still has brakes, tyres, a battery, energy-consumption data and systems whose operation must be monitored.

The most important dates

Will an existing Euro 6 car become prohibited?

No.

Euro 7 regulates the type approval and placing on the market of new vehicles. It does not automatically change the emissions class of a vehicle that has already been registered.

Individual cities may introduce low-emission zones or other local restrictions in the future, but that is a separate legal issue. The Euro 7 Regulation itself does not remove the right to use an older vehicle.

What will change for exhaust emissions?

The Euro 7 exhaust-emission limits for passenger cars are not dramatically lower than the limits under the latest stage of Euro 6.

The important changes are broader testing, longer compliance monitoring and particle-number measurement covering smaller particles.

PN10 means that particles with a diameter of approximately 10 nanometres are also taken into account, rather than only the larger particles covered by some previous measurements.

Manufacturers will have to demonstrate compliance under a wider range of driving, temperature and operating conditions, rather than only during an ideal laboratory cycle.

Brake dust: why does the requirement also apply to electric vehicles?

When a car brakes, its pads and discs wear through friction. Some of that material becomes fine particles that enter the air and settle on the road.

Electric vehicles use regenerative braking, in which the electric motor slows the car and recovers energy. Their mechanical brakes may therefore be used less often in urban driving.

However, electric vehicles still need friction brakes for:

Euro 7 brake-particle limits until the end of 2029

The initial limits are higher for heavier N1 Class III vans: 5 mg/km for electric powertrains and 11 mg/km for other powertrains.

From 2035, a uniform limit of 3 mg/km is planned for M1 and N1 vehicles regardless of their powertrain.

Will special Euro 7 brake pads and discs appear?

Manufacturers may use several solutions:

The most important issue for buyers will be replacement-part availability.

When Euro 7 compliance has been certified for a specific combination of discs, pads, control software and vehicle configuration, the use of unsuitable low-cost parts may worsen emissions performance or braking characteristics.

This does not mean that every repair will necessarily require a component bearing the vehicle manufacturer’s logo. However, an independent parts manufacturer will have to provide suitable quality and type approval when the relevant component requires it.

Tyre wear: Euro 7 will also tackle microplastics

As a tyre rolls, its tread gradually wears away. The material does not disappear: tiny particles of rubber, fillers and road surface enter the environment.

Euro 7 introduces tyre-abrasion testing and limits so that more durable tyres are gradually placed on the market.

This does not mean that a previously purchased set of tyres will have to be discarded from 2028.

The requirements mainly concern tyre type approval, placing tyres on the market and equipping new vehicles.

Will a more durable tyre always be safer?

Not necessarily.

A tyre manufacturer must balance several properties at the same time:

A very hard rubber compound may last longer but provide poorer grip on wet or cold roads. Euro 7 abrasion requirements therefore do not replace the EU tyre label, independent tests or the driver’s responsibility to choose tyres suitable for the season.

Battery durability: what do 80% and 72% mean?

Euro 7 establishes a minimum traction-battery energy-retention level for fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

The principle used is “whichever comes first.”

Illustrative driving-range example

Assume that a new electric vehicle has a WLTP range of 500 km.

Real driving range is not directly equal to the battery-energy percentage because it is affected by temperature, speed, tyres, heating, software, changes to the usable buffer and vehicle efficiency.

However, the example helps demonstrate the scale of the requirement.

Does 72% mean that the battery is allowed to fail suddenly?

No.

A reduction in energy capacity and a technical battery failure are not the same thing.

Euro 7 provides for monitoring of battery health and other environmental parameters so that non-compliance can be identified more easily.

What is an Environmental Vehicle Passport?

Euro 7 introduces the Environmental Vehicle Passport.

Its purpose is to provide structured information about the environmental performance of a specific vehicle.

Depending on the vehicle type and technical implementation, it may contain information about:

This may help a used-electric-vehicle buyer, a workshop, a technical supervisory authority and market-surveillance bodies understand whether a particular vehicle is operating as declared.

The vehicle will monitor the operation of its own emissions systems

Euro 7 expands the importance of onboard diagnostic and monitoring systems.

Manufacturers will have to use systems capable of:

This may make it more difficult to disable DPF, AdBlue, EGR or other emissions systems illegally.

At the same time, more complex diagnostics may increase the importance of software, sensors and electronic repairs.

What will Euro 7 change for each type of powertrain?

Will Euro 7 make new cars more expensive?

Possibly, but there is no single legally prescribed amount.

The Euro 7 Regulation does not state that, for example, €500 or €1,000 must be added to the price of every vehicle.

The cost depends on how closely the specific model already meets the requirements.

Illustrative price scenarios

Assume that Euro 7 increases the manufacturer’s or importer’s net cost for a particular model by €150, €400 or €800 and that the full amount is passed on to the buyer. Latvia applies 21% VAT.

These are illustrative scenarios only, not forecasts or official Euro 7 surcharges.

A manufacturer may absorb the costs, reduce the available discount, revise the equipment specification, increase the price for the next model year or discontinue a particular version altogether.

Why could an inexpensive small car be at greater risk than an expensive SUV?

Fixed type-approval and development costs are easier to absorb within the price of an expensive vehicle.

When €500 of additional cost is added to an €80,000 vehicle, it represents less than one percent of the price.

When the same amount is added to a €16,000 small car, it represents more than three percent.

A manufacturer may therefore conclude that updating an inexpensive model is not economically justified, particularly when sales volumes are low or a new generation of the vehicle is due soon.

Should you buy a Euro 6 vehicle before Euro 7?

There is no single correct answer.

When a Euro 6 vehicle is offered with a discount of several thousand euros and is intended for long-term use in Latvia, it may be more economical than a more expensive Euro 7 version.

When the vehicle will be sold in Western Europe after three or four years or used in cities with stricter emissions zones, the newer emissions class may be more valuable.

Will a Euro 7 vehicle be cheaper to maintain?

Not necessarily.

Some requirements may reduce long-term risks, while others may increase repair complexity.

What will Euro 7 mean for technical inspections in Latvia?

The Euro 7 Regulation does not automatically mean that Latvian inspection stations will begin measuring brake PM10 particles or tyre microplastics in laboratory conditions from November 2026.

Brake and tyre limits are primarily checked during vehicle or component type approval.

Over the longer term, however, the following may become more important during technical inspections and roadside checks:

The precise changes to Latvian technical-inspection procedures will depend on further EU and Latvian legislation.

Will any brakes and tyres be permitted after an accident repair?

Vehicles must already be fitted with safe parts suitable for their particular design.

Euro 7 makes this issue more important because the brake system and tyres form part of the vehicle’s environmental compliance.

After a repair, check:

What should you check when buying a used Euro 7 electric vehicle?

What should you ask a dealer about a new Euro 7 vehicle?

Common myths about Euro 7

Mini test: have you understood Euro 7?

Correct answers: 1 — no; 2 — yes; 3 — yes; 4 — yes; 5 — yes; 6 — no; 7 — yes; 8 — no; 9 — yes; 10 — yes.

Practical purchase-comparison formula

The emissions standard is only one part of the calculation.

Conclusion: Euro 7 is not a ban on old cars but a new vehicle-life-cycle standard

The greatest change introduced by Euro 7 is not one new exhaust-emission limit.

It represents a shift from looking only at the exhaust pipe to assessing the vehicle’s wider environmental effect and technical durability.

Petrol and diesel vehicles will be monitored more strictly under real-world conditions and over longer periods of use. Electric vehicles will have to comply with brake-particle and battery-durability requirements. Tyres will gradually also be assessed according to the amount of material they lose while driving.

The most important point for Latvian drivers is to understand the dates.

29 November 2026 applies to new passenger-car types. 29 November 2027 applies to all new passenger cars. An existing Euro 6 or older vehicle does not have to be scrapped because of Euro 7.

The price of a new vehicle may increase, but not equally for every model. Some manufacturers already use technology required by Euro 7, while others will have to change their brakes, sensors, software, tyres or battery management.

The transition period may create attractive discounts on Euro 6 stock vehicles, while a Euro 7 vehicle may offer advantages in long-term value, diagnostics and battery transparency.

The purchasing decision should therefore not be based only on the label “Euro 7.” Buyers should compare the specific model’s price, warranty, brake and tyre costs, consumption, battery terms and expected resale value.

The driver’s final takeaway: Euro 7 does not make your current vehicle unusable. It changes the requirements for vehicles that manufacturers will place on the market in the future — less brake dust, controlled tyre wear, more durable batteries and more verifiable data showing how the vehicle actually performs after several years on the road.