Heavy smog in Beijing has led to calls for cleaner cars on the city's roads. Now the government is taking action by implementing harsher emission regulations.

Stricter car emission standards are Beijing's latest tool to combat pollution. The capital city is the first in China to apply the fifth and so far strictest stage of its vehicle emission standard, the Beijing V. Now, from March 1, gasoline powered vehicles that don't fit the standard are banned from being sold or registered.

The move, which comes after banning substandard diesel vehicles last month, is garnering support among the city's residents.

Zhang Yaoyang, a Beijing resident, said:" I bought a car 3 years ago that doesn't meet the new emission standard, but I still support the new regulations because they're good for the environment."

According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, vehicles are one of the major causes of heavy smog in the city. At the start of the year, they made up for a fourth of PM 2.5 which are the particularly harmful particles that are less than 2.5 microns in diameter.

The new standard, which is similar to the Euro V standard, is expected to play a role in reducing the city's air pollution. It includes restricting vehicle's sulfur content to a maximum of 10 ppm or parts per million.

While the new regulations require some big changes from automakers, some industry experts say they won't hurt the auto industry.

Yang Qi, marketing manager of Beijing Chengxinda Automotive Group, said:" Car manufacturers still have time to adapt to the new regulations. All our models will meet the standard before June."

Emission standards are only set to become stricter in the future. Authorities from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau recently announced the sixth stage of the city's vehicle emission standard, which is still under development, will take affect in 2016. (By CCTV reporter Neela Eyunni)

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