Scania’s New Engines Meet New Japanese Emissions and Fuel Economy Standards

7 September 2007

Two of Scania’s new range of engines (earlier post) have been certified for the Japanese New Long Term (NLT) emissions standard as well as the Japanese fuel economy standard that entitles operators to a 2% tax reduction.

The Japanese emission regulation NLT is mandatory for heavy-duty vehicles from September 2007. In terms of limit values, NLT, Euro 5 (EU) and EPA 07 (US) do not differ much, but the three test cycles are widely different, making engine optimization a unique process for each of them.

Driving conditions in Japan, with frequent congestion and moderate cruising and average speeds, has led to greater focus on light load conditions in the legislation. Driving sequences similar to idling and low-speed crawling figure prominently in the test cycle to emulate conditions on Japanese roads.

The European test cycle involves frequent variations in load and speed, whereas the US cycle is dominated by high-speed cruising, typically encountered on US highways.

Two versions of the new 13-liter engine have been certified for Japan (BKG class)—420 and 470—both equipped with a maintenance-free particulate filter to reduce particulate emissions.

The engines also comply with Japan’s fuel economy legislation—a worldwide first initiative introduced in 2005 to curb Japan’s CO₂ emissions. (Earlier post.)

The legislation stipulates an overall improvement in fuel economy per manufacturer between 2002 and 2015, with penalties for those that fail to comply by 2015. The approximate improvement in fuel economy for the top-level manufacturers in 2002 compared to 2015 is 12%. Compliance currently gives a two percent tax deduction for new trucks.

On the Japanese market Scania is represented by Hino and its sales and service network. Owned by the Toyota Group, Hino is the leading truck manufacturer in Japan. Exports are mainly targeted at Asian markets and are being developed in the US and some Latin American markets, as well as to some extent in UK and Ireland. Hino medium-duty trucks are sold in South Korea via the Scania network. The strategic cooperation agreement between Scania and Hino dates back to 2002.