Given the economic events of the last several months, few will regret seeing the end of 2008 –– but what about next year? There will be new challenges, including the introduction of 2010 engines.
As engine makers and truck OEMs ramp-up for the introduction of ’10 engines, you can almost hear fleet managers collectively holding their breath. While no major problems surfaced when ’07 engines with new exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technology were introduced, there were costs related to that introduction that cut into fleet profits.
While new engine technology always adds to the purchase price of a vehicle, many fleets reported that EGR engines cost them fuel economy. Because of that, rumor has it, many major carriers are resisting the usual pre-buy strategy now and waiting until the 2010 engines are ready before ordering new vehicles. This decision, along with our free-falling economy, has left OEM order books blank and new trucks standing on dealer lots –– but that’s a story for another time.
The focus at the moment is on EPA 2010 diesel engines. All engine makers and OEMs, with the exception of International, will employ selective catalytic reduction (SCR) with diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), or urea technology, to meet the ’10 EPA emission standards.
Detroit Diesel Corp. said that it has surpassed seven million miles of testing on its BlueTec SCR technology that will be incorporated into its DD15 and DD13 engines, which will be available in Daimler Trucks of North America’s vehicles.
While Cummins originally stated it would not use SCR technology to meet 2010 EPA emission requirements, it recently reversed that decision saying it has established SCR as its 2010 solution for heavy-duty engines as well as its midrange products. As previously announced, the Cummins heavy-duty ISX engine family will incorporate the XPI fuel system, cooled EGR, the Cummins VGT turbocharger, Cummins particulate filter and advanced electronic controls.
With PACCAR offering DAF engines with SCR technology for its Peterbilt and Kenworth vehicles and Volvo offering SCR technology for its North American Volvo vehicles and Mack trucks, it appears that nearly all vehicle makers are ready with SCR for the next emission level milestone. “Nearly all” is the operative phrase here.
As I mentioned previously, International Truck and Engine Corp. is not among the SCR adopters. It has stated that its MaxxForce brand diesel engines will meet the stringent U.S. federal 2010 emissions standards for all its core applications without the use of SCR systems. As a matter of fact, the company has urged the EPA to delay the implementation of the 2010 engine emissions rules.
That decision may have prompted Per Carlsson, president and CEO of Volvo Trucks North America, to respond that Volvo Trucks sees no reason to change the current timetable for U.S. ’10. In addition, he said that the company is prepared to meet these regulations as they stand today without the use of emissions credits.
