OEMs prepare for Australian ADR

In Australia OEMs are preparing to meet the Australian Design Rule (ADR) emissions standards. ADR 80/00, similar to Euro 3, was adopted in 2002/03. Following this, ADR 80/01 (equivalent to Euro 4), comes into force in 2007/08. Finally, the most stringent standard of all, ADR 80/02 (Euro 5 equivalent), is effective from 2010/11.

There are several key players in the truck market in Australia, which is especially buoyant at the moment with almost 35,000 trucks sold in 2005, approximately 10% more than in the previous year. Isuzu is the biggest supplier of commercial vehicles in Australia and imports all its vehicles for the Australian market. It has indicated that it will meet ADR 80/01 with EGR. Another Japanese OEM, Nissan Diesel, uses SCR vehicles in Japan but favours the EGR route for its export markets.

The biggest supplier of heavy-duty trucks in Australia is Kenworth, which is owned by US-based giant PACCAR. According to Market Services Manager, Neil Willox, "There are no immediate plans for SCR at Kenworth at this stage. However, our sister company DAF will be using SCR technology."

Iveco has 14% market share in the heavy-duty segment of the Australian truck market. Although it is not making specific details of its final strategy public yet, its Director of Customer Service, Tom Livingstone says, "We have a project team in place to ensure that we have the right strategy to introduce SCR technology and ensure that we have the infrastructure to support our dealers and customers with the urea product".

DaimlerChrysler will have a mixed strategy approach to meeting ADR 80/01 with its Mercedes Benz business opting for SCR in the form of its own BlueTec® technology but Freightliner and Sterling will keep with EGR as favoured by their native US market.

Volvo, in common with its European strategy, is likely to meet ADR 80/01 with SCR in much of the heavy-duty segment but is considering EGR for the medium segment and smaller heavy-duty trucks. According to Ken Cowell, National Manager - Product Strategy, "We are still hedging our bets and will offer some EGR engines - approximately 20% of our production."

EGR-proponent Scania imports many of its heavy-duty trucks from its factories in Sweden and the Netherlands. Scania tends to standardise technology across all the countries in which it operates. As its European strategy heavily favours EGR, this is also likely to be the case in Australia.

In Australia MAN trucks are distributed by Western Star Trucks Australia and the two businesses are now merged as WSTA/MAI. All MAN vehicles in Australia are imported from Europe, where its strategy is dominated by EGR except for the largest engines. Since Western Star Australia buys trucks from Western Star in North America, it will therefore follow the technology route chosen by its supplier. This is likely to be EGR although some SCR trucks may be offered in its range depending on demand.

Australia's continental size makes urea supply and distribution particularly important when discussing its potential for an SCR urea market. Tennant Ltd has moved into the SCR urea market in Australia. It will brand urea solution under the name NONOX (see Vent issue 2). At present there is only one plant - owned by Incitec Pivot - which manufactures automotive grade urea. Recently work started on a second plant in north-western Australia. However, owing to the remoteness of this area, much of the urea which will be produced in this new plant will be set aside for export. Consequently, imported urea will be crucial to the AdBlue market in Australia.