New regulations have been put in place in the European Union (EU) for non-road equipment that is powered by diesel engines. These rules, known as Stage V, will ensure lower emissions, greater performance and increased fuel efficiency.
Where are these standards coming from?
The European Union (EU) created this set of directives that focus on the exhaust emissions for engines used in non-road equipment, such as scissor lifts, boom lifts and telehandlers. These directives apply to any countries that are members of the union, with the option to opt in for non-member countries.
In North America, the equivalent system managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets out this gradual progress in tiers and follows a similar set of guidelines to control harmful engine emissions. The current EPA regulation tier equivalent is Tier 4 Final.
For the EU, since 1997, these standards have been divided into stages. Stage V is the latest standard that applies to all diesel-powered equipment purchased from January 2019 and newer. Compliance dates for each standard is subject to change due to the global pandemic.
Additionally, OEM aerial lift manufacturers are permitted to place an earlier stage engine on the market in between two successive stages under the standards’ “flex scheme.” This option may be used for a fixed period and for a pre-defined number of engines.
What does Stage V cover?
Stage V engine requirements have the express goal of controlling the particulate matter coming out of the engine to lower the emissions altogether. These strict guidelines are aimed at limiting dangerous substances like Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and Hydrocarbons (HC) from vehicle exhausts.
Directly from the engine, the fumes will pass through a series of filters and after treatment equipment, most notably the diesel particulate filter (DPF) which is the single biggest operational change to the systems. The DPF collects debris from the exhaust fumes and stores them inside its filter chamber and periodically processes a cleaning cycle. This process is automatic but requires the user to start the sequence when prompted. Failure to do this can have an impact on the operation of the engine.
The new engine units are also equipped with a sophisticated Engine Control Unit (ECU), which monitors the engine vitals including emissions. This ECU can tailor the way the engine operates and deliver the optimal fuel efficiency and performance mix.
The newest Snorkel lifts are Stage V compliant and are fully benefiting from the new standards in many ways:
- Environmental – Lower emissions meet regulations
- Fuel Savings – Improved ECUs optimize fuel usage and provide long-term savings
- Better Control – Smoother operation and better performance
For example, the Snorkel A62JRT articulated rough terrain boom lift with the new Kubota V2403 Stage V/Tier 4 compliant engine and improvements in the hydraulic circuits, will reduce fuel consumption by up to 40-50% over the previous Kubota V2403 Stage 3b/Tier 4 Interim engine.
