The Diesel Technology Forum announced that all major heavy-duty truck and engine manufacturers have met new Environmental Protection Agency standards for emissions cuts and have been certified by EPA for full production.
New big rigs are equipped with new particulate matter filters that trap emissions and result in 2007 trucks being 90 percent cleaner than the previous generation of trucks. Nitrogen oxide emissions have also been reduced significantly with new technology.
Manufacturers now certified by the EPA include Caterpillar, Cummins, Detroit Diesel Corp, International, Mack, and Volvo. The EPA predicts that these new trucks — once they fully replace the existing fleet — will reduce emissions of smog-forming gases by 2.6 million tons each year.