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To meet stringent, near-zero emissions standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the vast majority of trucks sold after January 1st will be equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR). This technology uses a catalytic system - which includes diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) - to treat exhaust and reduce it into simple nitrogen and water vapor.

"The exhaust coming out of a 2010 heavy-duty diesel engine with an SCR platform has near-zero regulated amounts of exhaust gas," reports David McKenna, director of powertrain sales and marketing, Mack Trucks. "It is hard for us to even measure this stuff in a lab."

The particulate matter emitted is 0.2 grams per brake horsepower hour. (For reference, this is equal to 1/2270^th of a pound.) "If you look inside the exhaust stack, there is no soot," says McKenna. "In 2010, we are essentially neutralizing the oxides of nitrogen into simple nitrogen (N2) and water vapor (H2O). It is almost immeasurable amounts of other gasses that are coming out. It is an ultra-clean engine."

 SCR technology requires virtually no changes to existing base engines. However, the material used in the catalytic converter is expensive, which adds to the initial purchase price. For instance, let's look at the offerings from Daimler Trucks and Mack Trucks.

Emissions technology surcharges for Freightliner trucks equipped with Detroit Diesel DD15 and DD16 big bore engines, as well as the medium bore DD13, will be $9,000 per vehicle. A surcharge of $7,300 will be added to vehicles equipped with the Cummins ISC8.3 engine, and a $6,700 surcharge will be added to the price of vehicles equipped with Cummins ISB6.7 engines.