# Commission Directive (EU) 2015/996 of 19 May 2015 establishing common noise assessment methods according to Directive 2002/49/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance), Division: Classification of vehicles

Extent: E+W+S+N.I.

The road traffic noise source shall be determined by combining the noise emission of each individual vehicle forming the traffic flow. These vehicles are grouped into five separate categories with regard to their characteristics of noise emission:
Category 1 Light motor vehicles
Category 2 Medium heavy vehicles
Category 3 Heavy vehicles
Category 4 Powered two-wheelers
Category 5 Open category
In the case of powered two-wheelers, two separate subclasses are defined for mopeds and more powerful motorcycles, since they operate in very different driving modes and their numbers usually vary widely.
The first four categories shall be used, and the fifth category is optional. It is foreseen for new vehicles that may be developed in the future and may be sufficiently different in their noise emission to require an additional category to be defined. This category could cover, for example, electric or hybrid vehicles or any vehicle developed in the future substantially different from those in categories 1 to 4.
The details of the different vehicle classes are given in Table [2.2.a].
Table [2.2.a]
Vehicle classes
Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 September 2007 establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles (OJ L 263, 9.10.2007, p. 1).
Sport Utility Vehicles.
Multi-Purpose Vehicles.
Category
Name
Description
Vehicle category in ECWhole Vehicle Type Approval
1
Light motor vehicles
Passenger cars, delivery vans ≤ 3,5 tons, SUVs, MPVs including trailers and caravans
M1 and N1
2
Medium heavy vehicles
Medium heavy vehicles, delivery vans > 3,5 tons, buses, motorhomes, etc. with two axles and twin tyre mounting on rear axle
M2, M3 and N2, N3
3
Heavy vehicles
Heavy duty vehicles, touring cars, buses, with three or more axles
M2 and N2 with trailer, M3 and N3
4
Powered two-wheelers
4a
Two-, Three- and Four-wheel Mopeds
L1, L2, L6
4b
Motorcycles with and without sidecars, Tricycles and Quadricycles
L3, L4, L5, L7
5
Open category
To be defined according to future needs
N/A

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudr/2015/996/annex/division/ASSESSMENT/division/2/division/2.2/division/2.2.1/division/1 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-2015-996/annex/division-ASSESSMENT/division-2/division-2.2/division-2.2.1/division-1
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.