Dual Reliance Pledged on EGR Technology to Meet 2010 Emission Requirements

(June 12, 2008) — Caterpillar’s presence won’t be immediately visible when diesel engines compliant with 2010 EPA emission requirements begin their roll out, but a global alliance announced with Navistar indicates Cat power will still be felt in the school bus industry.

The engine manufacturer said in a release and a subsequent conference call with media that it will not bring to market a 2010-compliant medium-duty engine product for school buses, but added it is entering an engine development co-op with Navistar that pursues Exhaust Gas Recirculation technology rather than that of urea-based Selective Catalyst Reduction. Cat will continue manufacturing medium-duty diesel engines through 2009 and customer support will remain for the lifecycle of each product. The alliance also targets the expansion of an existing remanufacturing relationship to include the MaxxForce.

Navistar reps said during the conference call that Navistar’s existing relationship with Germany's MAN Nutzfahrzeuge AG on the MaxxForce line will not be affected and that the two will continue developing next-generation emission solutions.

With Cat removing itself from the 2010 school bus engine market, at least in brand name visibility and for the foreseeable future, what that means to other school bus OEMs remained unclear at this writing. But both Cummins and Detroit Diesel have already announced plans to go the route of SCR.