International Truck and Engine Corp. said it has established a technology path to meet 2007 emissions requirements for all its 2007 vehicles.

"Using ultra-low-sulfur fuel, each of the three engine manufacturers has found it is feasible to reduce in-cylinder emissions of NOx to a level that reduces the burden on aftertreatment in meeting the 2007 federal emissions standard," said Patrick Charbonneau, vice president, regulatory and technology affairs. "This will allow engine aftertreatment to be less complex than initially thought."
Federal regulations require that ultra-low-sulfur (ULS) diesel fuel, in which sulfur has been reduced to fewer than 15 parts per million, must be available nationwide by mid-2006.
Specifically, Charbonneau stated that all engines used in International trucks for the 2007 model year will meet the federal NOx requirements without the need for complex selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology. SCR is an aftertreatment technology that requires the availability of urea, an ammonia compound, and its introduction into the exhaust system. SCR requires special infrastructure for delivery of an additional fluid to the vehicle, adding another level of complexity for the truck end user.
International and its Class 8 engine suppliers agreed that SCR is unnecessary to meet the 2007 requirements, thanks to proven advances in other engine and fuel technologies.
International also announced that 2007 standards for the engines it produces for International trucks will be achieved without the use of NOx adsorber technology. "While we have actively researched the need for NOx adsorbers, we have demonstrated a breakthrough with our existing engine technology platform for 2004," Charbonneau said. "By being able to eliminate the need for and expense of NOx adsorbers, we will meet 2007 environmental requirements while reducing complexity for our customers."
Having eliminated the need for adsorbers in 2007, Charbonneau said, International will now focus on the development of advanced NOx aftertreatment for 2010, providing lead time for testing all its truck products.
Charbonneau also said that all International brand vehicles will meet 2007 standards for particulate matter (PM) through the use of particulate filters, with which the company has considerable experience. These filters have been used successfully on International Green Diesel Technology products for the past three years. Additional information is available at www.internationaldelivers.com.