Mack Confirms Ability to Meet Aggressive 2002 Emissions Standards

    LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.--March 19, 2001--Mack Trucks, Inc. today announced that the 12-liter Mack E-TECH(R) engine, which will meet the aggressive 2002 emissions requirements, is moving forward into the industrial validation phase of development.
    Key to the accomplishment of this milestone is the engine's demonstrated ability to consistently meet Mack engineering development targets for emissions which are 10 to 20 percent below the federal standards that will take effect in October 2002, and to do so in the most challenging configuration - the high-output 460-horsepower rating.
    "These emissions levels were first achieved in 2000, and have been consistently maintained as we've moved forward with the refinement of the overall engine performance calibrations," said Stephen F. Homcha, Mack executive vice president - Class 8 programs. "Based on our consistent progress to date, we're confident that we will be able to deliver a product that meets the new emissions requirements while satisfying the demanding performance expectations of Mack customers."
    Mack confirmed that the cornerstone technology of the engine will be cooled exhaust gas re-circulation (EGR), which the company sees as the most viable technology for meeting the emissions standards for oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulates in the 2002 timeframe.
    However, EGR will not be the sole technology used to satisfy the requirements. In addition to EGR, Mack engineers will utilize new technologies that will be progressively introduced in the E-TECH engine between now and 2002.
    Without divulging additional details, the company stated that one key element of its strategy will be a significant evolution of the engine's unit pump fuel system, in which Mack will deploy flexible injection capabilities as early as the second half of 2001.
    Homcha acknowledged that while the company's progress has been steady, the 2002 requirements continue to represent a challenge to Mack engineers, and that significant work remains to be done. But he added that Mack's position as an integrated manufacturer of both engines and vehicles will provide the key to success in clearing the remaining hurdles.
    "Mack is convinced that for an integrated manufacturer, cooled EGR technology is the answer to the 2002 challenge," Homcha said. "Our engineers are developing the engine and the vehicle installation package simultaneously, which is allowing us to move smoothly from development to commercialization within the tight implementation timeframe of 2002."
    In this regard, Mack is progressing steadily not just in development, but also in the industrialization that will lead to the 2002 introduction. The company will launch factory builds of both the engines, and vehicles equipped with the engines, by the middle of 2001, ensuring that its industrial processes will be in place well in advance of the October 2002 deadline.
    "All of our development efforts, and our industrial and commercial planning, are locked in on October 2002," Homcha said. "While we're continuing to discuss the challenges of this goal with the EPA to ensure that we have a common understanding, we remain focused on the 2002 target."
    Homcha also emphasized that achievement of this goal is not a one-step endeavor, and that Mack has and will continue to progressively reduce the E-TECH engine's emission levels leading up to the 2.5 gram NOx level required in 2002.
    The company proactively implemented the 6 gram NOx calibration in the third quarter of 1998, well before the January 1999 deadline for doing so, and is currently producing engines with NOx calibrations below the 6 gram level. The ongoing introduction of new technologies will continue this progressive reduction, culminating with the introduction of EGR.
    Dedicated to quality, reliability, and total customer satisfaction, Mack Trucks, Inc. has provided innovative, forward-thinking products and services to its customers worldwide for a century. Mack is one of North America's largest producers of heavy-duty trucks, in addition to major product components; the company also markets a line of medium-duty diesel trucks across North America.