EPA certifies first Cat engine with ACERT

PEORIA, Ill. (Jan. 20, 2003) — Caterpillar Inc. said Friday it has received certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for its first engine equipped with Advanced Combustion Emission Reduction Technology, or ACERT.

The first EPA-certified Caterpillar model with ACERT technology is the C9, a medium-duty diesel engine for emergency and recreational vehicles, mass transit buses, and vocational vehicles such as refuse haulers and dump trucks. Full production of ACERT-equipped C9s will begin in the first quarter of this year, the company said, and all Caterpillar on-highway truck and bus engines will be equipped with ACERT technology by the fourth quarter of 2003.

Caterpillar has released little about how ACERT works, except that will meet EPA emissions standards through 2006.

Most other engine makers opted to use exhaust gas recirculation, or EGR, to meet strict diesel engine emissions standards that took effect Oct. 1, 2002. The day before the deadline, Caterpillar received conditional certification from the EPA to sell engines not equipped with ACERT; however, the engines do not meet emissions targets and Cat is subject to fines for each one sold.