The Environmental Protection Agency certified a full line of Caterpillar off-road engines as compliant with Tier 3 standards on July 8.
Certification of the seven models allows Caterpillar to go into early production of the engines. The company will be producing a full line of engines with ACERT technology in the 175-750 horsepower range. Caterpillar will begin shipping the new Tier 3 diesel engines to industrial OEM customers this month. Cat machines powered by Tier 3-compliant engines should reach the market by October, three months before the Tier 3 deadline for 300-750 horsepower engines and 15 months before Tier 3 175-300 horsepower engines are required.
“This is a tremendous milestone for Caterpillar, and its another testament to the value of Caterpillar’s breakthrough ACERT technology,” said Gary Stroup, vice president for the large power systems division of Caterpillar.
The Tier 3 standards, which will officially go into effect in January 2005 and January 2006, apply to diesel engines used in construction and industrial equipment, as well as mining machines. By 2014, equipment manufacturers will meet Tier 4 requirements, which will reduce emissions in off-road machines by 90 percent.
“These standards grow more difficult at each step, but are vitally important as we advance the merits of clean diesel technology around the country,” said Douglas Oberhelman, group president of Caterpillar . “Improved air quality is important to all of us, and diesel is a key solution.”
