Air pollutants of various kinds cause major problems for health and the environment worldwide, particularly in cities and built-up areas. The most significant air pollutants include sulphur oxides, carbon monoxide, particulates, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and ground-level ozone. Over the past few decades, emissions of most of these substances have fallen substantially in the OECD countries, and are predicted to fall further over the forthcoming decades. Furthermore, diesel fuels with low sulphur content have been introduced. This has resulted in major improvements in air quality. But transports are continuing to grow, in particular in those parts of the world now experiencing major economic growth.

Here at Volvo Trucks we are working on a broad front to reduce harmful emissions and are developing and commercialising alternative technological solutions to meet even tougher emission requirements.

One step ahead of the legal framework
In order to further improve air quality, exhaust emissions are strictly regulated in most countries and limits for what each vehicle may emit are constantly being lowered. The European Union adopted its standards for new diesel-fuelled trucks in the early 1990s (the Euro 1 standards) and has now updated them in various stages. In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency has announced similar directions. There, the US10 standard calls for NOx reduction that is 99 per cent lower than the 1974 level, while Euro 5 calls for a reduction of noxious harmful emissions by between 80 per cent (hydrocarbons) and 90 per cent (particulates) over the 1990 baseline.