You can check the above-described label under the hood should you want to confirm. The N51 SULEV vehicles, on the other hand, look very similar to the N52 engines. There were key visual indicators, particularly on the valve covers. On previous models that carried the M56 SULEV and the M54 engines, it was easier to tell what you had. With many SULEV models now carrying the N51, and others carrying the N52, it has actually become more challenging to identify what’s under the hood. SULEV vehicles are therefore a necessary part of any modern range for a performance brand like BMW. A BMW SULEV engine by definition can’t really compete in terms of performance to those you find in the M4, or X5M, but those with the M label are built for track-style performance.Ī SULEV engine is built to help BMW meet increasingly strict emissions standards and to ensure enough of its range can do so to avoid the issuance of hefty government fines. Thanks to advances in technology and improvements overall to the N51 SULEV make it hardly distinguishable from the N52 in many respects. A SULEV BMW may not appear to be a real performance BMW in their eyes. Some people who buy the xDrive and find it as SULEV may make modifications to make it into a higher-performance model. Traditionally, all-wheel drive has meant a somewhat less eco-friendly car like an SUV, but in fact, your BMW can be both xDrive and SULEV version.
#BMW STANDS FOR DRIVER#
Take a 328i xDrive for example, this car can send power to both front and rear wheels to maximize traction and give the driver better control in more challenging road conditions. The designation xDrive is what BMW gives to its cars that feature all-wheel drive as an option as opposed to the more standard rear-wheel drive. What you won’t see on that label is ZEV, which is the strongest standard put in place to classify zero-emission vehicles like all-electric cars, which have no exhaust. If your BMW was bought in the states of California, Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Massachusetts, then it almost certainly comes with the N51 SULEV classification. You can also reflect on where you purchased the vehicle and when. It will also indicate if the BMW SULEV models you have also passes the PZEV standards described above (zero evaporative emissions from the exhaust). If you see “California: SULEV, then that means you meet that standard. If your BMW is LEV, then underneath “Conforms to regulations” on the second row you’ll see something like “California: LEV II PC.” This means your car meets the low-emission vehicle standards. The sticker should have the header “Bayerische Motoren Werke AG” - that’s what BMW stands for, in case you didn’t know - and it will say “Vehicle Emission Control Information.” It tells you which regulations it conforms to, including those of the EPA and which state regulations. If you own one of these models or any other, you can always do another simple check, which is to pop the hood open and take a look at the information sticker you find there.
#BMW STANDS FOR SERIES#
These include BMW 1 Series and BMW 3 Series models, namely the 128i, 328i, 325i, 325Ci, and the 325iT. SULEVs are not, however, as strict as the really draconian PZEV (Partial Zero Emission Vehicle) which is the same basic standard for tailpipe emissions, but evaporative emissions have to be zero instead of merely “reduced”Īccording to the latest entry on Wikipedia, there are currently 5 models that are almost certain to be BMW SULEV engine models. By definition, to meet SULEV standards, a vehicle has to produce 90 percent fewer emissions than the average gasoline-powered vehicle.Īs a standard, that makes it far stricter than the LEV designation, which is now increasingly common as automakers race to achieve mandated emission level targets. The majority of BMWs would be classed as “LEV” which a low emission vehicle, but there are also now many that meet the Super Ultra Low Emissions requirements.
This is a relatively new category of vehicle that carted life as a directive in the Golden State as part of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) designation system for the new generation of hybrid and all-electric cars that of course went beyond the typical “low emission” bracket.
Though it sounds like a Russian brand of a missile, SULEV actually stands for Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle.
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