Test emission characteristics of motorcycles in Central Taiwan

Due to the large population and high levels of motorized-vehicle exhaust emissions, motorcycle emissions make an important contribution to total emissions in Taiwan, ROC. Aiming to reduce the air pollution generated by these motorcycles, the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (TEPA) has maintained an enforced inspection and maintenance (I/M) program for in-use motorcycles since 1996. This report explores the effects of engine type, engine size, engine age, and manufacturers of in-use motorcycles on CO/HC emissions in I/M testing data during the period of 1996–2002 in the Central Air Quality Basin of Taiwan. Additionally, geographical characteristics and failure rates of motorcycles are analyzed. The results indicate that the age, size, and type of engine, and the manufacturers of motorcycles all play a significant role in determining I/M emission test results. The findings also show that two-stroke motorcycles emitted approximately ten times greater HC than those of four-stroke motorcycles. CO/HC test emissions increase with a decrease in engine size, HC test emissions contributed by Yamaha and other manufacturers being the highest. Although CO/HC test emissions generally increase with the age of the motorcycle, older motorcycles do not contribute significantly to total emissions due to the small number of older motorcycles. It was observed that CO/HC test emissions depend on driving patterns, geographical location, and inspection rates of motorcycles. The failure rate due to CO is nearly four times greater than that of HC, and the older and smaller-engine-size motorcycles obtain greater failure rates. These statistical findings can also provide the EPA of Taiwan or other Asian countries with useful information for formulating better environmental strategies to manage motorcycles effectively.