In 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency instituted new emissions limits for diesel-powered heavy-duty trucks. The new regulations are among the most stringent in the world in limiting emissions of oxides of nitrogen (a contributor to both smog and climate change) and particulate matter (a health concern for millions of people with respiratory problems). Thanks to these regulations, today’s trucks emit 50 percent less NOx and 90 percent less particulate matter than trucks of the mid-1990s.
Meeting these new limits requires a “total vehicle solution” – in which engines, fuel and truck systems all contribute to achieving the emissions levels mandated by EPA. Volvo Trucks is leading the way, with a new family of engines and new designs and operating technologies that improve their environmental performance.