The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has produced a draft guidance document
on July 7th with intentions to modify its certification program for
NOx emission control reducing agents for SCR-equipped trucks.
The new EPA draft guidance proposes to tighten the existing
regulations in terms of the functioning of
Low-DEF warning systems and when inducement kicks in. This aims
to prevent instances where truck owners run out of DEF and violate
emissions regulations by failing to refill the tank.
The new draft guidance will carry indirect implications for the
DEF market, calling for an increase in stockists which offer DEF.
The vice president of Government Affairs at Navistar Inc., Patrick
Charbonneau, commented on the company's concerns regarding
aftermarket sales of SCR trucks. He argues that the draft guidance
will allow truck drivers to continue to drive "dry" DEF tanks,
because DEF refills "are both expensive and inconvenient for the
customers of SCR engine makers - assuming DEF is even
available."
Other OEM producers such as Cummins are also hoping for
an upsurge of DEF supply by auto parts retailers. At the current
time, only 30% of retailers supplying parts for light-, medium- and
heavy-duty diesel vehicles also offer DEF.