European, Japanese and U.S. manufacturers of heavy-duty vehicles and engines today stressed the importance of addressing the climate change issue from a global perspective and agreed to extend all-out support for the UN/ECE/WP29's activities aimed at improving fuel quality worldwide.

"The commercial vehicle and engine industry acknowledges the importance of fuel economy assessment and the use of biofuels in addressing greenhouse gas emissions." said Susumu Hosoi, Chairman of JAMA Heavy Vehicle Committee (CEO of Isuzu Motors Limited). This remark was made today at the 5th Global Commercial Vehicle Industry Meeting held in Makuhari and chaired by Hosoi. The chairman further stated: "The global commercial vehicle industry will extend all-out support for UN/ECE ongoing efforts to harmonise environment related regulations affecting heavy-duty vehicles including the new initiative regarding the upgrade and harmonisation of fuel qualities in order to reduce emissions and the environmental footprint of commercial vehicles."

The meeting in Makuhari brought together the chief executives of the world's leading manufacturers of heavy-duty vehicles and engines from Europe, Japan and the United States to discuss the issues facing their industry. Similar meetings were held previously in Amsterdam in 2003; in Tokyo in 2004; in Chicago in 2005; and in Hannover in 2006.

At today's meeting the chief executives discussed the harmonization of global technical regulations to enhance the environmental performances and safety of heavy-duty commercial vehicles and engines.

Fuel Economy

Meeting participants discussed the fuel efficiency initiatives that have been taken in a number of countries and the need for methods to assess measures to enhance fuel-economy.

As a growing number of nations are seeking ways to assess and improve commercial vehicle fuel economy, participants agreed to enhance their efforts to establish a harmonized method to evaluate the fuel consumption performance and efficiency of commercial vehicles and to share basic technologies such as computer-simulated assessments. Given the urgency of this matter, CEOs agreed to set up special working groups.

Fuel Quality - Diesel

With the introduction of ever more stringent emission regulations, the impact of fuel quality on emissions has become a crucial issue. Indeed, in many of the industrialized economies with advanced transport systems, high priority is being placed on fuel quality and on engine improvements in the effort to reduce emissions.

In developing countries and the transition economies, however, recognition of the role of fuel quality in emissions reduction is less widespread. In the face of this reality, meeting participants pointed to the need to establish global fuel regulations in parallel with the ongoing efforts to harmonize emission regulations worldwide.

At the 4th Global Commercial Vehicle Industry Meeting last year in Hannover, Mr Bernard Gauvin, Vice chairman of the United Nations/ECE/WP29, was presented with a formal request from the global automotive industry to address the issue of global fuel regulations at the U.N. forum.

At today's meeting, Mr Gauvin reported that WP29 had moved beyond debating the need for global fuel regulations and was now looking into optimal measures for bringing such regulations into reality. In response, the commercial vehicle and engine industry announced its all-out support for the activities of WP29 in this regard.

Biodiesel

The use of "biodiesel" (FAME) is increasing around the world, because of political pressure towards the automotive sector to help combating greenhouse gas emissions. The presently available biodiesel components are derived from several different types of oil containing crops, for instance rape seed, soya, sunflower, coconut and palm trees.

Adequate product standards are also needed for biodiesel. To demonstrate the quality needs of the engine and aftertreatment technology, the meeting participants agreed that the industry shall take active part in ongoing standardization work on biodiesels.

The meeting participants promote and support the hydrogenation processing routes. The end products from these processes have excellent ignition and combustion quality. These products can be used in almost any blending ratio in conventional diesel fuels, within present market standards.

Global Technical Regulations (harmonized emissions test procedures)

Today's meeting also underlined the importance of internationally harmonized automotive regulations and test procedures as a means of expediting the introduction of new cost-effective technologies to further reduce emissions, advance fuel economy, and enhance vehicle safety.

Participants agree that national barriers should not impede progress in this area. They also agreed to encourage their respective governments to cooperate on efforts to quickly move forward on WHDC and other global technical regulations on emissions compliance testing, on-board diagnostics and off-cycle emissions, among other items, in order to benefit the environment and consumers as well as the manufacturers of heavy-duty vehicles and engines.

Intellectual Property Protection and Road Safety

Today's meeting confirmed the expansion of the truck manufacturers' ongoing efforts to incorporate safer designs and systems into heavy-duty trucks. Voluntary efforts to adopt new safety technologies will be pursued on a continuous basis. Manufacturers committed to work with public officials to develop appropriate new regulations when they are deemed to be needed. It also recognized the urgent need to combat the proliferation of counterfeit products in the vehicle sector and the critical importance to commercial vehicle manufacturers of intellectual property rights protection. Participants expressed their concern that counterfeiting is not yet viewed as a high-priority issue by governments and the public in developing countries. The CEOs agreed to take steps to further draw the attention of governments and the public to the problems associated with counterfeiting.

Next Meeting

An invitation was extended by Mr Jed R. Mandel representing the United States' Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) and Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA) to host the 6th Global Commercial Vehicle Industry Meeting in the U.S. on 8th October, 2008.

For further information, please contact:

In addition to the participation of the chief executives, the Global Commercial Vehicle Industry Meeting is attended by member delegates and staff from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA), and the Engine Manufacturers Association (EMA).