News

Two small errors have been noted in the German fleet scenario for HBEFA 5.1:

• Bifuel CNG/Petrol LCV: mileages were missing for CNG driving shares for most years in the time series

• 4-stroke mopeds: mileages were missing for most years in the time series

Consequently, no emission factors have been output in “weighted” queries for the respective vehicle types and years.

These errors will be corrected with Version number 5.1.004.
We will carry out the update immediately.
For users, the update will take effect with the next application restart.

So far, the mileage correction for hot NO2 emission factors of heavy duty vehicles (HDV) is not carried out in HBEFA 5.1 if NOx (on which NO2 depends) is not selected in an emission factor query. This needs to be corrected. The update will carry version number 5.1.003.

We will carry out the update this coming Thursday, 15.01.2026, from 17:00 CET; it may take about one hour.

Users do not need to take any action. The new version will automatically be selected in the front-end application and in API queries unless another version is explicitly set. Only queries for hot emission factors of HDV (i.e. trucks, coaches, buses) that included NO2, but not NOx, are affected.

We are using the opportunity to also implement a small improvement for API users: The "hbversion_int" used in an emission factor query will be returned in the "Input_ pars" dictionary for better traceability.

We will implement an update tonight on the HBEFA server to correct some errors identified in HBEFA 5.1 since its publication.

For details on the changes, please see: HBEFA5.1.002_Update_Dec2025.pdf

Since the changes are implemented on the server, HBEFA users do not have to download a fresh desktop client (front-end application) due to the update.

‍The update will be implemented tonight, i.e. on December 17, 2025, from 18:00 CET (likely for not more than 1 hour) on the central server. Several server restarts may be possible during that time.

A new version of the desktop client will be made available in the next days - with the only change being that the button to open the Help file has been moved to a separate "Help" menu in order to be found more easily. It is completely optional to download this new version. The content corrections on the server will also be effective with the desktop client used so far.

The free "online version" on this website will be updated in the next days to reflect the changes in the 5.1.002 update.

We are pleased to announce the release of HBEFA Version 5.1!

Registered and new users can obtain the new version by filling in the registration form on this website under SOFTWARE > GET THE HANDBOOK.

Version 5.1 is a major update. All contents of the Handbook have been updated. Version 5.1 represents a substantial extension of contents compared to previous versions, with additional pollutants, subsegments, and about five times as many base emission factors as in HBEFA 4.2. Furthermore, the new version is implemented as a user-friendlier Python-based client-server solution (as opposed to the previous MS Access-based versions).

An overview and documentation of the updated aspects is available under METHODOLOGY > REPORTS > “HBEFA 5.1 Update Documentation”

Please see the updated help file on this website under SOFTWARE > VERSIONS >HBEFA 5.1 for a quick start with the new application.

Unfortunately, the French country data inputs are slightly delayed. They will be updated in a few days. Since the new application is a client-server solution, it will not need to be downloaded or installed afresh after the update. For the moment, it is just not possible to calculate results weighted with a fleet composition for France.

The guidelines have been developed to

- promote consistent application of the HBEFA Traffic Situation between users and use cases

- to make methods and experiences developed over time available to all HBEFA users

- and to save users time.

The Guidelines are available on the website of the German Environment Agency (UBA-DE): www.umweltbundesamt.de/publikationen/hbefa-traffic-situations

The beta tests have been concluded by end of August. We have received very positive feedback. A few bugs have been identified that we are going to fix in the coming days.

The most important reason for postponing the publication date is that the general level of the new non-exhaust emission factors has been questioned - an issue that we want to investigate further before we publish the new version.

HBEFA 5.1 is a major update.

New features - besides a general update of all contents based on the latest measurement and statistical data - include e.g. non-exhaust emission factors differentiated by detailed vehicle types and processes, new cold start emission factors (also for HDV and BEVs), new and more detailed vehicle types (L-category, HGV size classes), Euro-7 emission factors and more.

HBEFA 5.1 will be released on a new software platform, as a Python-based client-server solution - as opposed to the Microsoft Access platform used up to Version 4.2.

License prices will be increased by 40% to compensate for inflation since 2010, when the current prices were introduced.

The old website has done its duty for almost two decades, but is now replaced due to technological developments. The new website gives us the opportunity to present information around HBEFA in a fresh look.

The order and support processes for the HBEFA application will remain largely the same for the moment as with the old website: Orders can still be placed using an order form, the INFRAS staff will process all orders and support requests personally as so far, payments are done by invoice.

The only change is that the login area, from which program and other files could be downloaded in the old website, is replaced by a Sharepoint repository. In order to access and download these files, users will receive personal access links by e-mail instead of the login data (user name/password) sent out so far.

Detailed instructions on the new order and download process can be found here.

Questions and comments regarding the new website can be addressed to INFRAS as always.

In several meetings between summer 2022 and spring 2023, the HBEFA workgroup has decided on the updates in the next "major" HBEFA Version 5.1. These will include:

• Complete update of hot emission factors based on new measurement data
• Complete update of mileage and temperature correction functions
• Inclusion of estimated Euro 7/VII emission factors
• Complete update of cold start emission factors, including new cold start emission factors for HDV
• Higher differentiation of HDV with alternative drivetrains (same as for diesel HDV - so far, alternative drivetrains were more aggregated)
• Inclusion of tampered HGV in fleet compositions
• Differentiation of non-exhaust emission factors by processes (brake, tyre, road abrasion and resuspension) and by HBEFA subsegments
• Moped and L-category emission factors in the same methodology as other vehicles (instead of simplified approach used so far)
• Complete update of country activity data and reference scenarios
• Publication of guidelines for the application of traffic situations
• More user-friendly HBEFA application migrated to a new software platform (a Python-based server-client solution)

The tentative time schedule foresees the publication of HBEFA 5.1 in mid-2025.

In the HBEFA 4.2 version from February 2022, an incorrect "charging scenario" is selected by default, which results in charging losses for electric vehicles not being considered.
Please activate the correct setting in the application by selecting menu Info > Electric vehicles > Energy losses > Charging losses and clicking on the "Default" charging scenario (i.e. the only visible scenario).
The installers and database files available in the download area (accessible with each user's personal download link) are up-to-date; therefore with new installations/downloads you do not need to modify this setting.
Please excuse the inconvenience!

Users that have not yet installed HBEFA 4.2 can just install the current version from the download area (accessible with each user's personal download link).
Users with an existing HBEFA 4.2 installation can use the "patch" application available in the download area. You have to download the correct version (32- or 64-bit) matching your MS Office installation (check the installation instructions if you don't know which Office version you are using). Please unzip the patch application, double-click it and follow the instructions on the screen.

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A critical error in HBEFA 4.2 has unfortunately been identified: The base emission factors for all Euro VI D-E HDV at 0% load are equal to the factors at 50% load. This needs to be corrected by an update.
We will inform HBEFA users as soon as the update is available. This will take a couple of days. If technically possible, we will implement it in the form of a patch program so that re-installation will not be necessary.
The (much less relevant) error of electric urban bus consumption factors at steep highway gradients that we informed about on Feb. 14 on the HBEFA website will also be corrected in the update.

Some energy consumption factors of battery-electric urban buses on steep uphill motorway traffic situations in HBEFA 4.1 and 4.2 have been found to be incorrect. The reason is that in the detail model PHEM, which produces the base emission factors, the battery capacity was set too low. The error affects motorway traffic situations with uphill gradients of +4% or +6%.
This error will be corrected in the next release of HBEFA.

HBEFA is affected by a bug in a recent office update.
There are two workarounds.

HBEFA Version 4.2 is now available and can be ordered online
The documentation of the update can be found here.
Registered users of Version 4.1 can download Version 4.2 free of charge.

In the HBEFA update of 3.11.2019, the shares of bioethanol in petrol in the Austrian fuel mix were unfortunately incorrect. This affects results for the pollutant "CO2(rep)" for petrol vehicles for the years 2007-2050 in Austria. A patch program to correct these values is available from the download area (accessible with each user's personal download link).

An update of HBEFA 4.1 is now available. This affects mostly results for Austria and Norway. More information can be found here.

Version HBEFA 4.1 (August 2018) is now available and can be ordered online.

Version HBEFA 3.3 (April 2017) is now available and can be ordered online. Users of Version 3.2 or 3.1 can download Version 3.3 directly (free of charge).

Publications of NOx emission measurements of diesel passenger cars in USA and Europe lead to questions regarding the reliability of the respective emission factors for light duty vehicles in HBEFA. This document published by the ERMES group (European Research Group on Mobile Emission Sources) contains information about this issue.