Manufacturers gear up for surge in demand for Euro-5
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will.shiers@rbi.co.uk TRUCK MAKERS are preparing themselves for a massive surge in demand for Euro-5 trucks in 2012 and 2013 as operators attempt to delay purchasing costly and complicated Euro-6 vehicles for as long as possible.
DAF marketing director Tony Pain explains that there has traditionally been a last-minute boost in sales for the older technology just before the implementation of any new Euro emissions levels, however in the case of Euro-6 (which is introduced on 31 December 2013), this order increase will be exaggerated as operators realise that Euro-6 has numerous operational consequences over the outgoing Euro-5 technology.
Euro-6 represents a massive reduction in noxious gases compared with Euro-5 (66% fewer particulates and 80% lower NOX). To put this into perspective, the jump is almost as great as that from Euro-1 to Euro-5 (94% fewer particulates and 74% lower NOX).
To tackle this huge jump, Euro-6 trucks will be considerably more complex than Euro-5, and will feature a combination of EGR, SCR and particulate traps.
Consequently, payload will be reduced and space on the chassis will be severely restricted. Fuel economy will not be any better than Euro-5, although you can expect truck makers to introduce a package of fuel-saving initiatives (like anti-idling devices, improved oil, better rolling resistance and driver-training schemes) in an attempt to make it as comparable as possible.
Pain believes these could well be the last round of European emissions regulations, as a Euro-6 truck will be as clean as a gas truck.
“In fact, a Euro-6 truck will arguably be cleaner than an electric truck, assuming it sources its electricity from a coal power station,” he says.