How can I make my M100 ULEZ compliant

[benbo 675]

I am the proud owner of an 1991 M100 Lotus Elan and I live within the North Circular Road in the London area. This time next year, the car will be subject to the ULEZ since it is not yet 40 years old, and I wondered how many other Lotus users will be affected by this? Quite a lot I expect, although no one seems to be talking about the fact that many of us will have to pay up to £15 a day to drive our cars within the North / South circular roads.
I wanted to ask if there is anyone in the Lotus community that has any idea of ways to make the car compliant? I wondered if having an after-market ECU might help, or in an extreme case, a new more modern engine might be an option. There must be many owners of Lotuses (and other marques) who will find themselves being forced to sell their beloved cars or pay a punitive tax to drive a handful of miles a year. As a side note, I usually get around London on a 2003 Vespa scooter which was also due to be subject to the ULEZ charge but which I have recently had dyno-tested and the emissions were found to be compliant. So after registering the dyno emissions with TFL, I can now use the vehicle without paying the daily charge. If there are any Lotus dealers / tuners / enthusiasts who have any idea of how best to deal with this imminent problem (which will surely hit a significant number of car enthusiasts) then I’d love to hear from you. Ben Cater 07814524606

[rip]

Does this apply within the North & South Circular or just within the congestion charge zone (which for those unfamiliar with London is a lot smaller)? I am guessing the latter so the existing infrastructure can be used. A quick search suggests it applies to the congestion charge zone.

It also looks like it will be automated. Presumably vehicles were classified by their OEM emissions so you would need some way to re-register your car as a low-emission vehicle, if this was acceptable at all.

The emissions of an SE can be improved by adding an O2 sensor & changing the memcal in the ECU for an S2 one, but I have just checked an S2's registration & it would also get charged.

[Fredjohn]

Having read the LEZ and ULEZ rules, I would tend to agree with Ian (RIP).

Petrol cars must achieve Euro 4 emission standards. This is established for the make/model range when new, and no amount of mods will change the officially recognised figure for any given car. An Elan is an Elan and it's official figures emissions are fixed. It's a bit like BIK: this is based on a car's RRP, and it does not matter what you actually paid for the car. I'm surprised you got your Vespa through though, as according to TFL website you need:

"To prove your vehicle meets the ULEZ standards:
A letter from the vehicle manufacturer's homologation department stating the vehicle's Euro standard or a conformity certificate"

Ian's suggestion you could re-register it (presumably as something else) with Euro 4 emissions may be possible, but the modification costs will be significant and there is no guarantee it would be accepted. As an aside look at this Elan conversion! Wrong Elan I know, but (heretical?) food for thought.

Or it'd probably be cheaper to buy a used petrol Euro 4 car (generally post 2005) and save the Elan for journeys to everywhere else. I estimate an annual ULEZ cost of about £3000. That would easily purchase such a car.

Just my pennyworth.

Good luck whatever you decide.

[GeoffSmith]

… I'm surprised you got your Vespa through though…

So was I, however someone has been thinking outside the box! I wonder if the same could be done for cars and whether an Elan with EGR could meet the 80mg/km Euro 4 limit.

[Mperx]

I was very close to buy an elan S2 in fantastic conditions. Unfortunately, found out the the elan m100 doesn't meet the London ULEZ Restrictions (Ultra low emission zone) and it would be very expensive to run if you live in London.
Is there really no way around this?
There must be so many other fantastic modern classic cars that people in London can't no longer enjoy!! So unfair.