o says Johan Richards, chief operating officer of Nissan Diesel South Africa (NDSA) speaking at the introduction of a range of Euro II compliant engines the company introduced to the South African market at the beginning of October. In addition to the new engine range, Richards says, the Nissan Diesel Quon Extra Heavy truck range, introduced to the local market last year, was the first truck in the world to conform to the very stringent long-term emission requirements in Japan that are more stringent than Euro 5.

According to Richards NDSA has adopted a philosophy of introducing appropriate technology that not only adheres to local legislation, but fulfils the needs of customers in various applications.

“Nissan Diesel has an evolutionary rather than a revolutionary approach to the introduction of new products in South Africa, and this specifically applies to the company’s rationale for introducing Euro II compliant technology at this stage,” he says.

“Euro IV and V technology come with a big price tag for both the economy and truck operators alike. Not only does it mean that trucks would cost up to 1,7 times more, it also has a big impact on the indirect costs involved in, for instance, the different manufacturing processes that will have to be implemented.”

“Nissan Diesel’s new Euro II engines are not only cleaner burning but come with more power and other technological benefits,” Johan Richards, chief operating officer of Nissan Diesel South Africa.

As a developing country, South Africa has no internationally agreed targets for the reduction of emissions. Road transport attributes three-quarters of the local transport sector’s Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emissions which include passenger, freight and public transport services.

The transport sector has been identified by Government as a ‘business unusual’ growth sector, therefore policies and measures have been put in place to meet mandatory national targets for the reduction of GHG emissions from this sector. This could include fuel efficiency standards and the promotion of hybrids and electric vehicles.

Speaking at the launch of the new engine range, Lloyd Christie, an environmental attorney at Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs attorneys, says a 2003 Government Strategy that aimed to move from Euro II to Euro IV, was never gazetted. “South African oil refineries, have to first upgrade their facilities to comply to Euro IV standards and it is believed these won’t be implemented soon, at least not in the next four years.”

In the 2005 Energy Efficiency Strategy, the Department of Minerals and Energy set a target of a 9% reduction in energy demand for the transport sector. And more recently, the Bus Rapid Transport and the Gautrain have been introduced by Government in order to reduce GHG emissions produced by vehicles.