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The results of the European Commission's "public consultation
on the Euro VI emissions limits for heavy-duty vehicles" have been
published on the Commissions website. 55 replies from industry
stakeholders and governmental bodies were received, with the
majority supporting 'Scenario A' and single-stage implementation.
Key respondents included ACEA, AGU-CEFIC, IRU and JAMA.
Generally, the automotive industry - represented by ACEA - is
supportive of the Commission's efforts to cut pollutant levels in
heavy-duty exhaust and accepts the pressure to bring limits in line
with the US. However, ACEA stresses the need for balance. Balance
between the costs to industry necessary to implement the emissions
reductions and the resulting benefits to public health and the
environment. Another consideration outlined by ACEA is the effect
of high-rate EGR on fuel efficiencies, and the resulting increase
in CO2 associated with some of the scenarios. ACEA is also adamant
that Euro VI should be "the final stage" and that there is no need
for a Euro VII.
Having outlined its concerns, ACEA chose to support Scenario A, a
single-stage Euro VI and implementation dates of 1 October 2013 for
new type-approval and 2014 for all new registrations. Scenario A
has limits that are equivalent to those selected by the EPA for its
US2010 legislation. However, ACEA has warned that any comparisons
between US and European emissions limits should take into account
US complexities including 'engine family averaging'. ACEA's
comments confirm the industry's preference for the world harmonised
duty cycle (WHDC) for Euro VI over the existing European transient
cycle (ETC).
Part of the motivation behind ACEA's decision to support Scenario A
limits for Euro VI may lie in the desire of global and
multi-regional OEMs to harmonise their engine families and develop
a common platform for use in the triad markets (US, Europe and
Japan). Indeed, in a move towards a global engine strategy Daimler
recently announced plans to move North American engine production
over to its Heavy Duty Engine Platform (HDEP) family. The HDEP will
eventually reduce Daimler's eight engine families to three, where
90% of the components are global common parts. This kind of
streamlining will result in significant cost savings as the scale
of common-component orders increases.
Feedback from other interested parties and stakeholders was varied,
but the majority of respondents favoured a single-stage
implementation and either Scenario A or D. The logistic and
transport associations favoured fuel-neutral Scenario D to minimise
the impact of Euro VI on their fuel costs. However, the IRU was
most concerned with confirming the implementation date so members
can adjust their order books appropriately, and public bodies can
arrange incentive schemes. AGU-CEFIC, an association of
automotive-urea producers (ADP, AMI Agrolinz, Fertiberia and Yara),
is in favour of a two step approach and less stringent limits. The
CEFIC group cites increased CO2 emissions, and the threat to the
AdBlue infrastructure that will result from high-rate EGR as its
reasons.
Given the political pressure on the Commission not to fall behind
the US, and the automotive industry's desire to harmonise global
legislation, it is likely that a single-stage Scenario A will be
presented to the European Parliament. Both industry and regulator
agree that it is becoming necessary to implement the WHDC under the
UN-ECE and this will be an important consideration for the
Commission.
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