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Non-Exhaust Particle Emissions – Gaps and Research Needs
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Researchers review the regulatory and measurement gaps in non-exhaust vehicle emissions — tire and brake wear particles — noting that electric vehicles' greater weight increases these emissions by 7–17% compared to combustion vehicles, and that Europe's Euro 7 framework is just beginning to establish brake emission limits while tire abrasion standards remain unmeasured and unregulated.
Non-Exhaust Emissions (NEE) have emerged as a dominant source of vehicular Particulate Matter (PM) pollution over the past decade, with research demonstrating that they can represent over 90% of road transport PM10 and 80% of road transport PM2.5, as exhaust controls have proven effective1. The technological transition toward vehicle electrification presents a complex emissions trade-off rather than a simple solution to this matter as their typically 21% higher weight2,3 leads to an approximate increase in tire wear PM10 of 7-9.8% and in brake wear PM10 of 11.5-17.1% (urban to motorway)2. Euro 7 will introduce the first worldwide brake emission limits, establishing PM10 thresholds of 3 mg/km for Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) from M1/N1 categories (excluding N1, Class III), effective from 2026-2027. For Heavy-Duty Vehicles (HDV) (M2, M3, N2, N3), brake emission limits are not yet defined but are scheduled for implementation from 2030 onwards. Tire abrasion limits are established with phased implementation: C1 tires from July 2028, C2 tires from April 2030, and C3 tires from April 20324. In addition, since there is no standardized procedure for measuring airborne emissions from tires yet, PM emission factors of tire and road wear particles are not yet in the scope of European regulations.
More Papers Like This
Non-Exhaust Particle Emissions – Gaps and Research Needs
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers review the regulatory landscape for non-exhaust particulate emissions, noting that tire and brake wear now account for over 90% of road-transport PM10 as exhaust controls have improved, while the added mass of electric vehicles increases tire wear PM by 7–10% and brake wear PM by 12–17%—with EU limits for brakes already set and tire abrasion limits phased in from 2028.
EARPA Position Paper - Non Exhaust Particle Emissions - Gaps and Research Needs
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Even electric cars, which don't have tailpipe pollution, still create harmful particle pollution from brakes, tires, and road wear—and because EVs are heavier, this "non-exhaust" pollution can actually be worse. This paper reviews current research and finds that these particles now make up the vast majority of traffic-related air pollution, but scientists still don't fully understand how tiny nanoparticles from tire and brake wear affect our health, or how much of this debris ends up contaminating our soil and water. The takeaway: switching to electric vehicles alone won't solve pollution from driving, and more research and stronger regulations are need
Characteristics of Real-World Non-Exhaust Particulates from Vehicles
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This study characterized non-exhaust particulate emissions from vehicles including brake wear, tire wear, and road surface particles, examining their size distributions, chemical composition, and toxicity potential. The results support calls for regulatory frameworks that extend beyond tailpipe emissions to address the full spectrum of vehicle-derived pollution.
Projecting airborne tire wear particle emissions in the United States in the era of electric vehicles.
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Researchers projected airborne tyre wear particle (TWP) emissions in the United States over 2024-2044 using the Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES), finding that the transition to electric vehicles will alter TWP emission profiles given differences in vehicle mass and regenerative braking behavior.
Tyre-Induced Microplastics: An Unknown Arena for e-Mobility
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This review examines tyre-induced microplastics as a major but underappreciated non-exhaust vehicle emission, particularly in the context of the transition to e-mobility, and evaluates how tyre abrasion contributes to traffic-related microplastic loading in the environment. The paper highlights that electric vehicles, despite eliminating exhaust emissions, may generate comparable or greater tyre wear particles due to higher vehicle mass, making tyre microplastics an urgent area for regulation.
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