Cost-effective emissions solutions for China CN IV and India BS IV commercial vehicles

Heavy and medium duty on-highway commercial vehicles complying to Euro IV exhaust emissions legislation were first introduced into the European market in 2006. At the initial introduction, two main technology solutions were followed:

1) Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) with use of a particulate filter

2) Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)

Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages and have since been delivered in large numbers to the emissions leading markets.

However, in 2014, many of the major developing markets are still working towards implementing these emissions standards or their equivalent. The final introduction into China (CN IV) and India (BS IV) has met with several delays. The reasons for these delays are numerous but the major factors are the nationwide availability of suitable fuel, AdBlue and the costs of the after treatment and control systems required to meet Euro IV based norms in comparison to previous exhaust emissions limits.

For compliance with Euro III equivalent emissions legislation, fuel with a sulphur level of less than 350 ppm is required, for Euro IV equivalent the fuel sulphur content requirement reduces to less than 50 ppm.

The investment required to deliver fuel with reduced sulphur content has been delayed in many markets, but in the recent months it has been seen that availability of low sulphur fuel has been increasing in both the Chinese and Indian markets. Notable is the rate of increased availability in China where 50 ppm fuel is planned to be nationally available from the end of 2014. This is perhaps in reaction to the severe smog that made international news during winter 2012/ 2013 and has reoccurred during this winter. It is therefore expected that the roll-out of the revised fuel standard and emission legislation will finally take place in the near future.