ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
Did You Know?
Gasoline and diesel powered vehicles produce 60% of the smog-forming pollutants in California.
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SMOG DEFINITIONS
SMOG
Smog is a haze-like form of air pollution produced by the photochemical reaction of sunlight with volatile organic compounds (including non-methane organic gases) and oxides of nitrogen that have been released into the atmosphere, especially by automobile operation.
SMOG SCORE
Beginning in 2009 in California, all new vehicles are required to display a smog score. The smog score ranks each vehicle’s pollutant levels of non-methane organic gases (NMOG) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) relative to all other vehicles within the current model year.
Smog scores will be on a scale of 1 – 10, with 10 being the cleanest. The average vehicle available in California today will get a smog score of 5. The table below shows the pollutant levels associated with each smog score, and how those levels relate to Federal and California certification standards. Many pre 2004 vehicles fall below a smog score of 1. This is because, over time, there have been significant advances in air pollution control technologies and the Air Resources Board has established more stringent pollution standards for vehicles.
A vehicle’s certification level can be found under the hood on the Vehicle Emissions Control Information label.
Pollutant levels allowed for each smog score:
| Smog Score* |
Emission Certification |
| 10 |
ZEV, Bin 1 |
| 9** |
ATPZEV, PZEV |
| 8 |
SULEV, Bin 2 |
| 7 |
Bin 3 |
| 6 |
Bin 4 |
| 5 |
LEV2 ULEV |
| 4 |
LEV 2 LEV, Bin 5 |
| 3 |
Bin 6 |
| 2 |
SULEV (Medium Duty Vehicle), Bin 7 |
| 1 |
LEV2 ULEV (Medium Duty Vehicle), LEV1 ULEV Bin 8 |
*Does not include upstream emissions.
**A Smog Score of 9 was given to vehicles certifying to the California PZEV and ATPZEV standards based on the longer useful life, zero evaporative emissions requirements, and extended warranty for these vehicles compared to vehicles certifying to the SULEV standards.
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