A ‘type of vehicle’ shall consist of vehicles that have the following features in common:

1. (a)

   the manufacturer's company name.

   A change in the legal form of ownership of the company does not require that a new approval has to be granted;

2. (b)

   the design and assembly of the essential parts of the body structure in the case of a self-supporting body;

3. (c)

   the design and the construction of the essential constituent elements forming the chassis in the case of a non-self-supporting body.

By way of derogation from the requirements of point 3.1.1(b), when the manufacturer uses the floor portion of the body structure as well the essential constituent elements forming the front part of the body structure located directly in front of the windscreen bay, in the construction of different kinds of bodywork (for example a van and a chassis-cab, different wheelbases and different roof heights), those vehicles may be considered as belonging to the same type. Evidence thereof shall be provided by the manufacturer.

A type of vehicle shall consist of at least one variant and one version.

A ‘variant’ within a type of vehicle shall group the vehicles that have the following construction features in common:

1. (a)

   the number of lateral doors or the type of bodywork as defined in point 4 of Part C (for complete and completed vehicles) when the manufacturer uses the criterion of point 3.1.2;

2. (b)

   the stage of completion (e.g. complete/incomplete/completed);

3. (c)

   the power plant with regard to the following construction features:

   1. (i)

      the type of energy supply (internal combustion engine, electric motor or other);

   2. (ii)

      the working principle (positive ignition, compression ignition or other);

   3. (iii)

      the number and arrangement of cylinders in the case of internal combustion engine (L6, V8 or other);

4. (d)

   the number of axles;

5. (e)

   the number and interconnection of powered axles;

6. (f)

   the number of steered axles.

7. (g)

   in the case of multi-stage built vehicles, the manufacturer and the type of the previous stage vehicle.

A ‘version’ within a variant shall group the vehicles that have the following features in common:

1. (a)

   the technically permissible maximum laden mass;

2. (b)

   the engine capacity in the case of internal combustion engine;

3. (c)

   the maximum engine power output or maximum continuous rated power (electric motor);

4. (d)

   the nature of the fuel (petrol, gas oil, LPG, bi-fuel or other);

5. (e)

   the maximum number of seating positions;

6. (f)

   drive-by sound level;

7. (g)

   exhaust emission level (for example Euro 5, Euro 6 or other);

8. (h)

   combined or weighted, combined CO₂ emissions;

9. (i)

   electric energy consumption (weighted, combined);

10. (j)

    combined or weighted, combined fuel consumption;

11. (k)

    the existence of a unique set of innovative technologies, as specified in Article 12 of Regulation (EU) No 510/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council23.

As an alternative to the criteria in points (h), (i) and (j), the vehicles grouped into a version shall have in common all tests performed for the calculation of their CO₂ emissions, electric energy consumption and fuel consumption in accordance with sub-Annex 6 to Annex XXI of Regulation (EU) 2017/1151.