Freightliner and Western Star trucks powered by Detroit Diesel DD13, DD15 and DD16 engines will carry a $9,000 surcharge in 2010 to cover the cost of new emissions control systems, according to Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA). The Detroit Diesel surcharge positions DTNA between the $9,600 emissions price tag Volvo Trucks of North America has put on its 2010 diesels and the $8,000 heavy-duty surcharge announced last week by Navistar.
On the medium-duty side, DTNA said today that its trucks powered by the Cummins ISC8.3 will have a surcharge of $7,300, and those equipped with the Cummins ISB6.7 a surcharge of $6,700. Navistar has said that its proprietary MaxxForce medium-duty engines will see a $6,000 emissions-related surcharge next year.
Although DTNA also plans to offer the Cummins ISX15 heavy-duty diesel in addition to its own engines, the 2010 surcharge for that option has not yet been finalized, according to a company spokesperson. That announcement is expected within the next few weeks, she told Fleet Owner by email.
All of DTNA’s engine choices will use selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s stringent 2010 emissions requirements for diesel engines, as will all other North American truck makers except for Navistar. SCR is an aftertreatment system that uses diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) to reduce NOx emissions by chemically converting it to nitrogen and water. The announced surcharges will cover the cost of the additional hardware, which includes a DEF storage tank, and development work to integrate the system with other fuel and emissions controls, according to the company.
Navistar has chosen to use higher rates of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to reduce NOx within the combustion chamber and says it will also use EPA emissions credits to help certify its engines for 2010. It’s believed that the lack of additional aftertreatment has helped it keep its surcharges somewhat below those announced or anticipated for engines with SCR.
However, DTNA and other truck makers have contended that SCR will significantly improve fuel economy, more than offsetting any initial cost advantage for the EGR-only approach. Customers currently testing Freightliner SCR-equipped trucks with 2010 Detroit Diesel engines “are reporting up to a 5% increase in miles per gallon,” according to Mark Lampert, sr. vp of sales for DTNA. He added that SCR should return heavy-duty trucks to pre-2007 fuel economy levels, while also delivering “near-zero” emissions levels at the tailpipe.
“We feel strongly that providing our customers with payback in the form of significant improvement in fuel economy is of fundamental importance and an appropriate return on their investment in 2010 technology,” he said.
