You don’t need to break the bank to achieve compliance with Euro VI standards. Eminox explains how retrofitting can be a low-cost alternative to buying a new compliant vehicle.
As we move forwards, tougher emissions standards are set to come into force across the UK, with a range of Low Emission Zones (LEZ) and Clean Air Zones (CAZ) planned in many cities over the coming months. These will help improve air quality and the health of those living and working in these urban areas by reducing air pollution.
Heavy-duty vehicles will need to meet tighter Euro VI emissions standards for nitrous oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). For example, this year, London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will require all buses, coaches, and trucks over 3.5 tonnes to be Euro VI compliant – otherwise, operators will have to pay a £100 daily charge to drive within the Greater London area.
Non-payment of fines will result in substantial financial penalties. Additionally, from 25th October 2021, the ULEZ is expanding from central London to create a single, larger zone up to the North Circular Road (A406) and South Circular Road (A205).
At the same time, operators must cope with the continuing impact of COVID on cashflow, limiting their ability to invest in new vehicles whilst still operating efficiently. This means they need to ensure cost-effective compliance, particularly when it comes to relatively new, high-value vehicles with many years of operating life ahead of them.
The answer to this challenge for the majority of operators is to retrofit emissions control technology to existing vehicles. Fitting an approved exhaust aftertreatment system (EATS) to an older vehicle enables Euro VI compliance, lengthening its useful life and boosting the value of an operator’s fleet.
It removes the need for major investment in new vehicles and any downtime involved in waiting for delivery. In fact, on average, 10-15 vehicles can be retrofitted for the price of buying a new one.
Achieving compliance
When it comes to London’s ULEZ, vehicles will have to be registered via the TfL website before they enter the zone, which will be enforced by ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras.
To ensure compliance, the Euro VI retrofit EATS must be certified by the government’s Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS), run by the Energy Saving Trust. This involves a comprehensive independent testing programme before manufacturers receive approval for their emissions reduction system. With over 42 years of experience, Eminox provides approved solutions for a range of bus, coach, truck, and refuse collection vehicles. Eminox has been first to market with CVRAS approved systems for all of these vehicle types.
To date, Eminox has sold and distributed more than 85,000 retrofit systems around the world and have worked on key projects, including the £86 million TfL project to upgrade 5,000 buses to Euro VI equivalent standards. All Eminox exhaust aftertreatment systems are designed and manufactured in the UK and are backed by full aftersales support.
Solutions and support
Eminox understands the complexity of designing and manufacturing a retrofit system that meets stringent real-world demands and has invested heavily in UK design, manufacturing, and support facilities to deliver a seamless solution to its customers.
Eminox supplies EATS technology to leading automotive OEMs, including Iveco and Volvo, and uses this experience and knowledge to create cost-effective retrofit solutions. This emissions reduction technology is capable of reducing PM, NOx, NO2, CO, and hydrocarbons by up to 99%, even at low-operating temperatures; essential for many vehicles operating in urban areas.
Retrofit solutions can be installed at the company’s state-of-the-art Lincolnshire manufacturing site, or at customer sites across the UK. Installation can either by carried out by Eminox fitters or by the customer’s own teams, trained and supported by Eminox.
The company’s in-house team has many years’ experience in supporting large national fleets to maintain peak efficiency. Eminox offers a range of aftersales support packages to ensure the customer receives the best results from their retrofit EATS. These include annual services, telemetry access, and extended warranties.
Through periodic servicing of a customer’s systems by Eminox’s master technicians, the products operate at peak efficiency, ensuring they continue to meet the latest emissions standards. Retrofitting with an Eminox system is a low-cost alternative to buying a new vehicle, with the greatest cost benefit for high value vehicles, such as buses, coaches, and trucks.
