Volvo Penta: embracing cleaner skies with China IV

In preparing for the next step in Chinese legislation for off-road machinery, Volvo Penta has developed an engine range that maximizes productivity while complying with more stringent emissions.

Volvo Penta’s new engine range for upcoming China IV regulations is optimized for tough off-road applications, offering ease of installation, operation and maintenance – as well as significantly improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions. The company provides a wide range of flexible solutions to help OEMs and operators alike, comprising an engine and perfectly matched exhaust aftertreatment system (EATS). Volvo Penta’s technical experts are also on hand to help in the transition to new engines and emission standards.  

“We have a breadth of knowledge of the ways in which emissions legislation around the world affects customers in different regions and so we are able to provide a good offer to customers in China, to ensure their needs will be met,” says Giorgio Paris, Volvo Penta’s head of the industrial segment. 

“As OEMs and operators prepare for China IV standards we will help them adjust, so they are ready to meet the new standards in a productive way. Our global expertise, along with research and development facilities and our focus on working closely with customers, means that we are well placed to understand what they want and how to find a solution to their requirements. We have improved fuel efficiency for our China IV range and operators can be assured that the same high performance they have already with our engines will continue to be a feature of the new models.”

The final version of the China IV regulation has not yet been published but it is expected that particulate numbers will have to be reduced and a diesel particulate filter (DPF) will be required for engines of 37-560 kW. It is also expected that nitrogen oxides will be further limited via selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and that the legislation will come into force in January 2020. “Environmental care – especially air quality – is a topic that’s high on the agenda of social awareness in China today,” say Paris. “Today there is no requirement for SCR or DPF in China, so this will be a big change, requiring significant investment by OEMs, and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to achieve their aims."

If China IV legislation is implemented as indicated, Volvo Penta’s new engine platform to meet the standards will cover its engine range from 5-13 liters, with power options from 105 to 405 kW (143-543 hp). Each solution features a high-performance engine and perfectly matched exhaust aftertreatment system (EATS). It is expected that legislation for engines over 560 kW will remain at current emissions levels, and therefore not require an EATS or DPF. If this proves to be the case, Volvo Penta will continue to offer its 16-liter 565 kW engine, TAD1643VE-B. “Volvo Penta is committed to offering an engine platform for all customers across any application, and so we will continue to provide the best solutions for the immediate future and in years to come,” says Paris.