FREDERICK, MD— Starting Jan. 1, 2014, heavy-duty engine and truck makers must offer new models of diesel engines to comply with the new standards for lower emissions of carbon dioxide and minimum fuel economy levels, as required by EPA and the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

But rest easy, there should be fewer headaches. The track record has so far been good. The clean diesel technology of 2010 performed better than expected even by the law when it came to reduced emissions, according to a study by the Coordinating Research Council and Health Effects Institute.

“These findings underscore just how clean this new generation of fuels, engines and emissions control technology really is, coming in substantially cleaner than required under the EPA and California Air Resources Board standards” says Allen Schaeffer, executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum, an organization representing the diesel industry. 

The study found the new models reduce emissions of nitrogen dioxide by more than 60 percent when compared to 2007 models and by 99 percent when compared to 2004 models.

The Coordinating Research Council is an organization that directs engineering and environmental studies on the interaction between automotive and other mobility equipment and petroleum products whose partners include both government and industry.

The Health Effects Institute is an independent research organization that studies science on the health effects of air pollution whose sponsors include both the federal government and vehicle and engine makers.

“Not only are the 2010 and later model year technology near zero emissions for fine particles, this study confirms that they are also substantially below the EPA/CARB standard for one of the key precursors to ozone formation, nitrogen dioxide,” Schaeffer says. 

Also, more than one-third of commercial trucks and buses are using 2007 and newer technology and 11 percent are using 2010 or newer technology.

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