The Environmental Protection Agency has announced that it has withdrawn its approval of the import and sale of up to 200,000 gas-powered off-road motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. The country of origin for the units is China.
In the last decade there has been a steady influx of low cost Chinese motorcycles into the American market. China has wrapped most of the motorcycles and ATVs around a simple 200cc single engine design.
The recent EPA action stems from questions about emissions testing. The EPA reports that manufacturers of certain Chinese motorcycles and ATVs falsified documentation that demonstrates that the vehicles will meet federal emission standards for certain pollutants, including nitrogen oxides (NOx) and total hydrocarbons.
The manufacturers are the Chongqing Hensim Group Co., the Chongqing Longting Power Equipment Co., the Zhejiang Peace Industry and Trade Co., and the Zhejiang Chisheng Industry and Trading Co.
The EPA is contemplating an action under the Clean Air Act, which could lead to major financial penalties against the businesses that manufactured or imported the units in question. However, any individual who purchased one of the vehicles in question is not responsible for the company's infractions and can continue to use the vehicle.
