Type approval & Individual vehicle registration - Process

This LAP analyses:
• The classification of hydrogen L category vehicles for type approval purposes,
• The applicable types of type approvals,
• The responsible approval authorities, and
• The differences in type approval process of hydrogen L category vehicles compared to conventional vehicles

Glossary:

Type approval means the procedure whereby a EU Member State certifies that a type of vehicle, system, component or separate technical unit satisfies the relevant administrative provisions and Tytechnical requirements.
Motor vehicle registration is the registration of a motor vehicle with a government authority. The purpose of motor vehicle registration is to establish a link between a vehicle and an owner or user of the vehicle. While almost all motor vehicles are uniquely identified by a vehicle identification number, only registered vehicles display a vehicle registration plate and carry a vehicle registration certificate.
Council Directive 1999/37/ EC on the registration documents for vehicle/. Registration means the administrative authorisation for the entry into service in road traffic of a vehicle, involving the identification of the latter and the issuing to it of a serial number, to be known as the registration number.

Pan-European Assessment:

The hydrogen powered bikes, motorcycles and quadricycles are still in market entry phase and there are only a few manufacturers who intend to commercialize them.

The requirements and procedures for the type approval of hydrogen powered L category vehicles are regulated in detail in a number of EU Regulations and referenced standards and do not constitute a structural barrier or regulatory gaps. The lack of experience of national type approval bodies can cause some inconsistences in application of requirements and procedures, delays and additional costs. However, this is not considered as a severe operational or economic barrier to the early market deployment of hydrogen powered L category vehicles. No data are collected about the costs relating to the type approval.
With regard to hydrogen vehicles registration no specific requirements or barriers are identified. A potential structural and economic barrier appears only in Finland, where the hydrogen as a type of fuel is not included in registration templates and therefore a special permission for registration may be required, possibly causing higher cost and time delay.
Is it a barrier?
No
Assessment Severity
0
Assessment
Following the experience in the car sector, the impacts resulting from this LAP are very likely to be of minor nature.It doesn’t seem to be a barrier. It might be that the economics are worsened because during the initial phase the costs for services and maintenance and even technical inspections might be higher because of missing economies of scale size and scope and missing experience.

Questions:

Question 1 How is a hydrogen vehicle classified? (as an electric/gas/hydrogen vehicle?) a - motorcycles (and bikes)
a - The law on power driven vehicles classifies hydrogen fuelled motorcycles as Alternative Fuel Vehicles (Article 2 Z 47)
Question 1 How is a hydrogen vehicle classified? (as an electric/gas/hydrogen vehicle?) b - quadricycles
a - The law on power driven vehicles classifies hydrogen fuelled quadricycles as Alternative Fuel Vehicles (Article 2 Z 47)
Question 2 Is there a difference in the type approval process for a hydrogen vehicle compared to a conventional vehicle? a - motorcycles (and bikes)
a - Type approvals of vehicles of category L have to follow Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 and Regulation 134/2014 . The approval process follows the same procedures as for conventional vehicles.
Question 2 Is there a difference in the type approval process for a hydrogen vehicle compared to a conventional vehicle? b - quadricycles If yes, please specify, e.g. how long does the procedure take and what are the costs to obtain a type approval?
b - Type approvals of vehicles of category L have to follow Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 and Regulation 134/2014.
Question 3 What type of type-approval is applicable? a - EU
a - The Minister of Transportation, Innovation and Technology is responsible for the issuance, amendment, extension and denial of EU type approvals in line with the provisions of Directive 2007/46/EC and Regulations 167/2013 and 168/2013.
Question 3 What type of type-approval is applicable? b - national
b - The Minister of Transportation, Innovation and Technology is responsible for the national type approval. The approval has to be issued if the required data are provided and are in line with the requirements of the law on power driven vehicles and the thereto related ordinances ( see § 28 of the law on power driven vehicles)
Question 3 What type of type-approval is applicable? c - individual
b - The Minister of Transportation, Innovation and Technology is responsible for the nationbal type approval. The approval has to be issued if the required data are provided and are in line with the requirements of the law on power driven vehicles and the thereto related ordinances ( see § 28 of the law on power driven vehicles)
Question 4 Which is the responsible approval authority? a) for the type approval i. motorcycles (and bikes) ii. quadricycles b) for individual vehicle registration i. motorcycles (and bikes) ii. quadricycles
a) for the type approval i. motorcycles (and bikes) ii. quadricycles – Ministry of transport, Innovation and Technology b) for individual vehicle registration i. motorcycles (and bikes) ii. quadricycles – Testing laboratory of the regarding Federal State (Bundesland = KFZ Zulassungsstelle)

National legislation:

  • Law on power driven vehicles
    Article 2 and 3 "guide" to the relevant provisions
  • Ordinance on the execution of the law on power driven vehicles
    This Regulation establishes the detailed technical requirements and test procedures regarding environmental and propulsion unit performance for the approval of L–category vehicles and the systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 and sets out a list of UNECE regulations and amendments thereto. (incl. hydrogen fuel cell vehicles)

EU Legislation: