Policy makers in Europe, the US and Japan need to cooperate on developing global fuel efficiency metrics, methodologies, standards and regulations that are practical and effective.
That's chief among the unsurprising messages from heavy duty vehicle and engine manufacturers including Caterpillar, Cummins, Daimler, Isuzu, Iveco, MAN, Nissan Diesel, Scania and Volvo.
More than 12 chief executives met in Brussels late last year, bringing together representatives of ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association), JAMA (Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association), EMA (Engine Manufacturers Association) and TMA (Truck Manufacturers Association) for the seventh time.
"A coordinated global approach for our industry is the most effective way to contribute to achieving global fuel efficiency improvements from the road freight sector", says Leif Östling, Scania CEO and Chairman of the ACEA Commercial Vehicle Board, which hosted the meeting.
"We serve a global market place, and want to avoid conflicting regulations from different regions. That is simply too costly, and impedes technological progress," he added.
The group now says it will talk to UNECE (the UN Economic Commission for Europe) to encourage urgent certification for heavy-duty hybrid electric vehicles, based upon the HILS procedure used in Japan.
It also intends to press for quality-based legislation covering fossil and renewable fuels, to ensure matching of today's vehicle technology requirements, and wants UNECE to ramp up its harmonised engine certification work, with metrics and methods for fuel efficiency on heavy-duty vehicles and engines, but also extended to air and rolling resistance.
