World’s leading heavy-duty OEMs meet on environmental issues

Chief executives of the world’s leading heavy-duty commercial truck and engine manufacturers held their 10th meeting in Brussels to discuss key issues facing the industry, including fuel-efficiency improvements, reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, global diesel fuel standard specifications, and issues related to heavy-duty engine and vehicle regulation and certification. Harrie Schippers, president of DAF Trucks and chairman of the Commercial Vehicle Board of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), chaired the meeting.
Summarizing the matters discussed at the meeting, Schippers said: “Globally, commercial vehicle manufacturers are taking decisive steps to overcome both short- and long-term challenges. The industry is motivated by the commercial imperative to increase fuel efficiency, as well as the related aim of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Global cooperation to harmonize fuel efficiency-related test methods will be given priority as this can deliver important cost savings to the industry, which will benefit our customers as well as wider society.” He added that, “the meeting has also focused on longer-term issues with the objective to increase flexibility in connection with vehicle design, which can contribute to important emission reductions from the road freight sector.”
He concluded that, “in examining these important technical areas, this high-level meeting has reaffirmed the importance of international cooperation in the commercial vehicles industry.” (December 31, 2012)