The cost of technology changes to commercial trucks to meet the upcoming EPA 2007 exhaust emission limits will add a premium ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, International Truck & Engine Corp. said last month.
According to the truck and engine manufacturer, engine modifications to reduce emissions, larger cooling systems to control increased engine heat, and exhaust aftertreatment systems that include a diesel particulate filter (DPF) are going to add between $5,000 and $6,000 to the base cost of International's medium-duty trucks and school buses, and about $7,000 to $10,000 to the base price of its Class 8 heavy-duty vehicles.
“We recognize that this is a significant increase in pricing,” said Dee Kapur, president of International's truck group, in a conference call with reporters. “But we are working with the rest of the industry to try and mitigate these increases by getting some [tax] incentives.”
Kapur noted that International is one of several truck makers working with the American Trucking Associations to try and convince Congress to pass a bill that would provide a 5% tax credit to those who buy new trucks between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 of 2007.
www.internationaldelivers.com
