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Textual Amendments
F1 Substituted by Commission Regulation (EU) No 678/2011 of 14 July 2011 replacing Annex II and amending Annexes IV, IX and XI to Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles (Framework Directive) (Text with EEA relevance).
For the purposes of European and national type-approval, as well as individual approval, vehicles shall be categorised according to the following classification:
(It is understood that approval can only be granted for the categories referred to in points 1.1.1 to 1.1.3, 1.2.1 to 1.2.3 and 1.3.1 to 1.3.4.)
Motor vehicles designed and constructed primarily for the carriage of persons and their luggage.
Vehicles of category M, comprising not more than eight seating positions in addition to the driver’s seating position.
Vehicles belonging to category M 1 shall have no space for standing passengers.
The number of seating positions may be restricted to one (i.e. the driver’s seating position).
Vehicles of category M, comprising more than eight seating positions in addition to the driver’s seating position and having a maximum mass not exceeding 5 tonnes.
Vehicles belonging to category M 2 may have space for standing passengers in addition to the seating positions.
Vehicles of category M, comprising more than eight seating positions in addition to the driver’s seating position and having a maximum mass exceeding 5 tonnes.
Vehicles belonging to category M 3 may have space for standing passengers.
Motor vehicles designed and constructed primarily for the carriage of goods.
Vehicles of category N having a maximum mass not exceeding 3,5 tonnes.
Vehicles of category N having a maximum mass exceeding 3,5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes.
Vehicles of category N having a maximum mass exceeding 12 tonnes.
Trailers designed and constructed for the carriage of goods or of persons as well as for the accommodation of persons.
Vehicles of category O having a maximum mass not exceeding 0,75 tonnes
Vehicles of category O having a maximum mass exceeding 0,75 tonnes but not exceeding 3,5 tonnes.
Vehicles of category O having a maximum mass exceeding 3,5 tonnes but not exceeding 10 tonnes.
Vehicles of category O having a maximum mass exceeding 10 tonnes.
‘ Off-road vehicle (ORV) ’ means a vehicle that belongs either to category M or N, having specific technical features which permit its use off the normal roads.
For those categories of vehicles, the letter ‘ G ’ shall be added as suffix to the letter and numeral identifying the vehicle category.
The criteria for the subcategorisation of vehicles as ‘ ORV ’ shall be specified in Section 4 of Part A of this Annex.
For incomplete vehicles that are intended to fall into the SPV subcategory, the letter ‘ S ’ shall be added as suffix to the letter and numeral identifying the vehicle category.
The various types of special purpose vehicles are defined and listed in Section 5.
For those categories of vehicles, the letter ‘ G ’ shall be added as suffix to the letter and numeral identifying the vehicle category.
Moreover, for incomplete vehicles that are intended to fall into the SPV subcategory, the letter ‘ S ’ shall be added as second suffix.
6 in the case of N 1 vehicles;
8 in the case of N 2 or N 3 vehicles.
when N = 0:
P – M ≥ 100 kg
when 0 < N ≤ 2:
P – (M + N × 68) ≥ 150 kg;
when N > 2:
P – (M + N × 68) ≥ N × 68;
where the letters have the following meaning:
is the technically permissible maximum laden mass;
is the mass in running order;
is the number of seating positions excluding the driver’s seating position.
The mass of equipment that is not used for the purposes referred to above (such as a compressor, a winch, an electric power generator, broadcasting equipment, etc.) shall not be included in M for the purposes of the application of the above formulae.
When one or more of the criteria are not met, the vehicle shall be categorised as M 1 .
the loading of the goods shall be possible by a rear door, a tailgate or a side-door designed and constructed for that purposes;
in the case of a rear door or a tailgate, the loading aperture shall meet the following requirements:
in the case the vehicle is fitted with only one row of seats or with only the driver seat, the minimum height of the loading aperture shall be at least 600 mm;
in the case the vehicle is fitted with two or more rows of seats, the minimum height of the loading aperture shall be at least 800 mm and the aperture shall show a surface of at least 12 800 cm 2 ;
The cargo area shall meet the following requirements:
‘ cargo area ’ means the part of the vehicle located behind the row(s) of seats or behind the driver seat when the vehicle is fitted with only one driver seat;
the loading surface of the cargo area shall be generally flat;
where the vehicle is fitted with only one row of seats or with one seat, the minimum length of the cargo area shall be at least 40 % of the wheelbase;
where the vehicle is fitted with two or more rows of seats, the minimum length of the cargo area shall be at least 30 % of the wheelbase.
Where the seats of the last row of seats can be easily removed from the vehicle without the use of special tools, the requirements regarding the length of the cargo area shall be met with all the seats installed in the vehicle;
the requirements regarding the length of the cargo area shall be met when the seats of the first row or of the last row, as the case may be, are upright in their normal position for use by the vehicle occupants.
‘ Height of the loading aperture ’, means the vertical distance between two horizontal planes tangent respectively to the highest point of the lower part of the doorway and the lowest point of the upper part of the doorway;
‘ surface of the loading aperture ’ means the greatest surface of the orthogonal projection on a vertical plane, perpendicular to the centreline of the vehicle, of the maximum aperture permitted when the rear door(s) or tailgate is (are) wide open;
‘ wheelbase ’, for the purposes of application of the formulae in points 3.8.2.2 and 3.8.3.1, means the distance between:
the centreline of the front axle and the centreline of the second axle in the case of a two axle vehicle; or
the centreline of the front axle and the centreline of a virtual axle equally distant from the second and third axle in the case of a three axle vehicle.
the seats shall be adjusted at their rear outermost positions;
the seat back, if adjustable, shall be adjusted as to accommodate the three-dimensional H-point machine at a torso angle of 25 degrees;
the seat back, if not adjustable, shall be in the position designed by the vehicle manufacturer;
When the seat is adjustable in height, it shall be adjusted to its lowest position.
the vehicle shall be in loaded conditions corresponding to its maximum mass;
the vehicle shall be with its wheels straight ahead.
when the vehicle is not fitted with a partition or a wall, the length shall be measured from a vertical plane tangent to the rear outermost point of the top of the seat back to the rear internal pane or door or tailgate, in closed position;
when the vehicle is fitted with a partition or a wall, the length shall be measured from a vertical plane tangent to the rear outermost point of the partition or the wall to the rear internal pane or door or tailgate, as the case may be, in closed position;
the requirements concerning the length shall be fulfilled at least along an horizontal line situated in the longitudinal vertical plane passing through the centreline of the vehicle, at the level of the load floor.
the loading of the goods shall be possible by a rear door, a tailgate or a panel or other means;
the minimum height of the loading aperture shall be at least 800 mm and the aperture shall show a surface of at least 12 800 cm 2 ;
the minimum length of the cargo area shall be at least 40 % of the wheelbase.
at least one front and at least one rear axle designed to be driven simultaneously irrespective of whether one powered axle can be disengaged;
at least one differential locking mechanism or a mechanism having similar effect is fitted;
they are able to climb at least a 25 % gradient as solo vehicle;
they satisfy five out of the following six requirements:
the approach angle shall be at least 25 degrees;
the departure angle shall be at least 20 degrees;
the ramp angle shall be at least 20 degrees;
the ground clearance under the front axle shall be at least 180 mm;
the ground clearance under the rear axle shall be at least 180 mm;
the ground clearance between the axles shall be at least 200 mm.
all their axles are driven simultaneously, irrespective of whether one or more powered axles can be disengaged;
at least one front and at least one rear axle are designed to be driven simultaneously irrespective of whether one powered axle can be disengaged;
at least one differential locking mechanism or a mechanism having the same effect is fitted;
they are able to climb a 25 % gradient as a solo vehicle;
they satisfy at least five out of the following six requirements if their maximum mass does not exceed 7,5 tonnes and at least four if their maximum mass exceeds 7,5 tonnes:
the approach angle shall be at least 25 degrees;
the departure angle shall be at least 25 degrees;
the ramp angle shall be at least 25 degrees;
the ground clearance under the front axle shall be at least 250 mm;
the ground clearance between axles shall be at least 300 mm;
the ground clearance under the rear axle shall be at least 250 mm.
all their axles are driven simultaneously, irrespective of whether one or more powered axles can be disengaged;
at least half of the axles (or two axles out of the three in the case of a three axle vehicle and mutatis mutandis in the case of a five axle vehicle) is designed to be driven simultaneously, irrespective of whether one powered axle can be disengaged;
there is at least one differential locking mechanism or a mechanism having similar effect;
they are able to climb a 25 % gradient as solo vehicle;
they satisfy at least four out of the following six requirements:
the approach angle shall be at least 25 degrees;
the departure angle shall be at least 25 degrees;
the ramp angle shall be at least 25 degrees;
the ground clearance under the front axle shall be at least 250 mm;
the ground clearance between axles shall be at least 300 mm;
the ground clearance under the rear axle shall be at least 250 mm.
| Name | Code | Definition | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1. | Motor caravan | SA | A vehicle of category M with living accommodation space which contains the following equipment as a minimum: (a) seats and table; (b) sleeping accommodation which may be converted from the seats; (c) cooking facilities; (d) storage facilities. This equipment shall be rigidly fixed to the living compartment. However, the table may be designed to be easily removable. |
| 5.2. | Armoured vehicle | SB | a vehicle intended for the protection of conveyed persons or goods with anti-bullet armour plating. |
| [F25.3. | Ambulance | SC | a vehicle of category M intended for the transport of sick or injured persons and having special equipment for such purpose.] |
| 5.4. | Hearse | SD | a vehicle of category M intended for the transport of deceased persons and having special equipment for such purpose. |
| 5.5. | Wheelchair accessible vehicle | SH | a vehicle of category M 1 constructed or converted specifically so that they accommodate one or more persons seated in their wheelchairs when travelling on the road. |
| 5.6. | Trailer caravan | SE | a vehicle of category O as defined in term 3.2.1.3 of Standard ISO 3833:1977. |
| 5.7. | Mobile crane | SF | a vehicle of category N 3 , not fitted for the carriage of goods, provided with a crane whose lifting moment is equal to or higher than 400 kNm. |
| 5.8. | Special group | SG | a special purpose vehicle which does not enter in any of the definitions mentioned in this section. |
| 5.9. | Converter dolly | SJ | a vehicle of category O equipped with a fifth-wheel coupling to support a semi-trailer with a view to converting the latter into a trailer. |
| 5.10. | Exceptional load transport trailer | SK | a vehicle of category O 4 intended for the transport of indivisible loads that is subject to speed and traffic restrictions because of its dimensions. Under this term are also included hydraulic modular trailers irrespective of the number of modules. |
| [F35.11. | Exceptional load transport motor vehicle | SL | a road tractor or tractor unit for semi-trailer of category N 3 meeting all the following conditions: (a) having more than two axles and at least half of the axles (two axles out of three in the case of a three axle vehicle and mutatis mutandis in the case of a five axle vehicle) designed to be driven simultaneously, irrespective of whether one powered axle can be disengaged, (b) which is designed for towing and pushing exceptional load transport trailer of category O 4 , (c) which has a minimum engine power of 350 kW, and (d) which can be equipped with an additional front coupling device for heavy towable masses |
| 5.12. | Multi-equipment carrier | SM | an off-road vehicle of category N (as defined in point 2.3) designed and constructed for pulling, pushing, carrying and actuating certain inter-changeable equipment, (a) with not less than two mounting areas for this equipment, (b) with standardised, mechanical, hydraulic and/or electrical interfaces (e.g. Power take off) for powering and actuating the above mentioned equipment and (c) which fulfills the definition of ISO 3833-1977, section 3.1.4 (special vehicle). If the vehicle is equipped with an auxiliary load platform, its maximum length shall not exceed: (a) 1,4 times of the front or rear track width of the vehicle, whichever is the larger in the case of two axle vehicles, or (b) 2,0 times of the front or rear track width of the vehicle, whichever is the larger in the case of vehicles having more than two axles] |
Textual Amendments
F2 Substituted by Commission Regulation (EU) No 214/2014 of 25 February 2014 amending Annexes II, IV, XI, XII and XVIII to Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles (Text with EEA relevance).
F3 Inserted by Commission Regulation (EU) No 214/2014 of 25 February 2014 amending Annexes II, IV, XI, XII and XVIII to Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles (Text with EEA relevance).
to converter dolly as defined in Section 5 of Part A of this Annex;
to rigid drawbar trailers as defined in Section 4 of Part C of this Annex;
to trailers in which persons may be carried when travelling on the road.