Detroit Diesel says it's ahead of schedule in testing its BlueTec emissions technology for 2010, having completed 25 million miles of testing
. The company expects to have 28 million miles of testing under its belt by the time BlueTec is rolled out on Jan. 1, 2010.

"In cooperation with our vehicle colleagues at Daimler Trucks North America, we have had the opportunity to test our 2010 BlueTec system under diverse ambient and environmental conditions, operating conditions and routes," said Rakesh Aneja, EPA 2010 program manager, Detroit Diesel.

Like all 2010 selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems, Detroit Diesel's BlueTec technology will require diesel exhaust fluid, a solution of two-thirds pure water and one-third automotive-grade urea, to treat exhaust gases downstream of the engine. The DEF reacts with smog-forming NOx over an SCR catalyst, reducing the NOx released into the air into nitrogen and water, safe elements in the air we breathe.

"We are pleased to have taken full advantage of our early choice of SCR as the best technology for our customers for 2010," said David Siler, director of marketing, Detroit Diesel. "The early commitment to the technology allowed us to finalize our production-intent designs early and to conclusively demonstrate the performance, durability, and effectiveness of our BlueTec technology on production designs over the extended life-cycle demands of our customers."

Detroit Diesel's DD13, DD15, and DD16 family of engines were engineered to be integrated with Detroit Diesel's BlueTec technology. Tried and tested in Europe, it has been developed to meet the specific needs and conditions of the trucking industry in North America.

"Our current projections are showing up to 5 percent diesel fuel economy improvement, and up to 3 percent net improvement with our BlueTec equipped engines compared to today's engines," said Aneja. "The results of our validation testing meet our expectations and offer a shift from fuel penalties to fuel economies for our customers in 2010, with simultaneous reduction of emissions and CO2, compared to today's EGR-only vehicles."

(Read a test drive of Detroit Diesel's BlueTec technology in the September issue of Heavy Duty Trucking magazine.)