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Six 2001 International Class 6 trucks participated in a project to determine the impact of gas-to-liquid (GTL) fuel and catalyzed diesel particle filters (DPFs) on emissions and operations from December 2003 through August 2004. The vehicles operated in Southern California and were nominally identical. Three vehicles operated “as-is” on California Air Resources Board (CARB) specification diesel fuel and no emission control devices. Three vehicles were retrofit with Johnson Matthey CCRT® (Catalyzed Continuously Regenerating Technology) filters and fueled with Shell GTL Fuel. Two rounds of emissions tests were conducted on a chassis dynamometer over the City Suburban Heavy Vehicle Route (CSHVR) and the New York City Bus (NYCB) cycle. The CARB-fueled vehicles served as the baseline, while the GTL-fueled vehicles were tested with and without the CCRT filters. Results from the first round of testing have been reported previously (see 2004-01-2959).

A fleet of six 2001 International Class 6 trucks operating in southern California was selected for an operability and emissions study using gas-to-liquid (GTL) fuel and catalyzed diesel particle filters (CDPF). Three vehicles were fueled with CARB specification diesel fuel and no emission control devices (current technology), and three vehicles were fueled with GTL fuel and retrofit with Johnson Matthey's CCRT™ diesel particulate filter. No engine modifications were made. Bench scale fuel-engine compatibility testing showed the GTL fuel had cold flow properties suitable for year-round use in southern California and was additized to meet current lubricity standards. Bench scale elastomer compatibility testing returned results similar to those of CARB specification diesel fuel. The GTL fuel met or exceeded ASTM D975 fuel properties. Researchers used a chassis dynamometer to test emissions over the City Suburban Heavy Vehicle Route (CSHVR) and New York City Bus (NYCB) cycles.

The first round of emissions testing of flexible fuel methanol vehicles from the U.S. federal fleet was completed in 1995. The vehicles tested include 71 flexible fuel M85 1993 Dodge Spirits, 16 flexible fuel 1994 M85 Ford Econoline Vans, and a similar number of standard gasoline Dodge Spirits and E150 Ford Econoline Vans. Results presented include a comparison of regulated exhaust and evaporative emissions and a discussion of the levels of air toxins, and the ozone-forming potential (OFP) of the measured emissions. Three private emissions laboratories tested vehicles taken from the general population of federal fleet vehicles in the Washington D.C., New York City, Detroit, Chicago, and Denver metropolitan regions. Testing followed the standard U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Test Procedures (FTPs) and detailed fuel changeover procedures as developed in the Auto/Oil Air Quality Improvement Research Program.

The first round of emissions testing of light-duty alternative fuel vehicles placed in the U. S. federal fleet under the provisions of the Alternative Motor Fuels Act was recently completed. This undertaking included 75 Dodge B250 vans, of which 37 were dedicated compressed natural gas models, and 38 were standard gasoline controls. Data were collected on regulated exhaust emissions using the federal test procedures, and on a number of other quantities, through a statistically controlled program of investigation. Fuel economy results were also recorded. All test vehicles were operated in routine federal service activities under normal working conditions, adhering as closely as possible to Chrysler's prescribed maintenance schedules. The data analysis conducted thus far indicates that the compressed natural gas vehicles exhibit notably lower regulated exhaust emissions, on average, than their gasoline counterparts, and that these values are well within U.S.