From May 20th 2018, new MOT vehicle class definitions will apply with respect to the MOT, which are those currently used broadly elsewhere throughout the world.
There is no direct transposition between the current vehicle classes we use in the UK MOT and the new vehicle class definitions.
So, for example, some of our current classes may include vehicles from two of the new classification groups, but not all of them. So firstly, here are the specific definitions for the new vehicle classes from the recent draft of the new MOT Testers’ Manual:
NEW MOT VEHICLE CLASS DEFINITIONS
Category L2e vehicle
A three wheeled vehicle (tricycle) classed as a moped – a maximum speed not exceeding 45km/h, not more than 50cc for spark ignition engine or 4KW for any other power unit.
Category L5e vehicle
A three wheeled vehicle (tricycle) more than 50cc and/or a maximum speed greater than 45km/h.
Category L6e vehicle
Light quadricycle – four wheeled vehicle with a maximum unladen mass of 350kg (not including the batteries in an electrically powered vehicle) a maximum speed not exceeding 45km/h, not more than 50cc for spark ignition engine or 4KW for any other power unit.
Category L7e vehicle
Quadricycle – A four-wheeled vehicle with a maximum unladen mass 400kg or 550kg for a goods vehicle (not including the batteries in an electrically powered vehicle) and a maximum net power of 15KW (21BHP).
Category M1 vehicle
A vehicle with four or more wheels used for the carriage of passengers, comprising not more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver’s seat. This includes dual-purpose vehicles, motor caravans and ambulances, but does not include quadricycles.
Category M2 vehicle
A vehicle with four or more wheels used for the carriage of passengers, comprising more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver’s seat and a maximum DGW not exceeding 5000kg. This includes dual-purpose vehicles, motor caravans and ambulances.
Category M3 vehicle
A vehicle with four or more wheels used for the carriage of passengers , comprising more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver’s seat and a maximum DGW exceeding 5000kg.
Category N1 vehicle
A vehicle with four or more wheels used for the carriage of goods and having a DGW not exceeding 3500kg.
Then, (also from the newly drafted Manual), a table to show which of the current Test Classe(s) these new categories can fall into.
EXISTING VEHICLE CLASSES – NEW CLASS EQUIVALENTS
Class 3
Three-wheeled vehicles not more than 450kg Un-Laden Weight (ULW) (excluding motorcycle combinations) New category – L2e or L5e
Class 4
Three-wheeled vehicles more than 450kg ULW – New category – L5e
Quadricycles – New category – L6e or L7e
Cars and Taxis – New category M1
Minbuses, Motor Caravans, Dual Purpose Vehicles and Ambulances up to 12 passenger seats – New Category M1 or M2
Goods Vehicles not exceeding 3,000kg Design Gross Weight (DGW) – New Category N1
Class 5
Private passenger vehicles, Ambulances, Motor Caravans and Dual Purpose Vehicles with 13 or mor passenger seats – New category M2 or M3
Class 7
Goods vehicles between 3001kg and 3500kg DGW inclusive – New category N1
(Note: if a goods vehicles is presented with a manufacturer’s plate and a ‘Ministry Plate’, the weights to be used are those on the ‘Ministry Plate’.
It must be noted, however, that currently the draft Manual is subject to change after DVSA receive feedback from the MOT Trade from the consultation process. This is written at the beginning of November 2117. As soon as DVSA publish a final definitive version, we will update our information.
The purpose of this is to give both Testers and AEs something of a ‘heads up’ as to the flavour of the forthcoming changes to vehicle classifications.