'Better fuel economy, extended maintenance'

GREENSBORO, N.C. Setra has become the first North American motorcoach supplier to release details about its plans for meeting the tough 2010 federal emissions standards.

To comply with the new requirements Setra is adopting Detroit Diesels new DD13 engine that utilizes Daimlers BlueTec emissions technology.

Gone will be the Detroit Diesel Series 60 that has been the motorcoach industrys leading engine for more than two decades.

Setra says its 2010 S 417 model outfitted with a DD13 BlueTec engine will get better economy than a comparable Series 60 engine that is compliant with 2007 USEPA emissions rules.

"Utilizing Bluetec technology to reduce NOx emissions, the Setra S 417 will be able to reduce dependency on exhaust gas recirculation," said Patrick Scully, chief commercial officer for Daimler Buses North America. "Less EGR means less heat rejection and greater component reliability, helping reduce fan-on time and its related fuel consumption, cycle wear and noise.

"The BlueTec emissions technology advantages will provide benefits to customers during the entire lifecycle of the Setra S 417 in fuel savings and reduced maintenance costs," said Scully.

Daimlers BlueTec is the name the company has given to the selective catalytic reduction process it will use beginning next year to reduce Nox emissions from its engines, meeting EPA mandates.

With BlueTec/SCR, exhaust from the engine is routed through an after-treatment system where the particulate matter is "scrubbed" through the diesel particulate filter and then is routed through the SCR filter where small amounts of diesel emission fluid (an ammonia mixture) reduce the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions.

Daimlers Commercial Vehicle Group has been using this technology for the past five years mostly in Europe -- in more than 200,000 Mercedes-Benz trucks.

"With the combined experience of Daimlers Commercial Vehicle Group and approximately 1,000 DD13 engines in the market today, Daimler Buses will be the best positioned with reliable and proven engine technology," said Scully.

The 2010 Setra S 417 will feature a separate diesel exhaust fluid tank and injection system. The diesel exhaust fluid tank will be immediately adjacent to the diesel fuel tank, making refills more convenient.

The diesel exhaust fluid will be consumed at a rate of roughly 2 percent vs. fuel usage. That means one gallon of diesel exhaust fluid will used about every 300 miles, allowing roughly 4,500 to 5,000 miles between diesel exhaust fluid fill-ups with the S 417s 15-gallon diesel exhaust fluid tank.

The 10 Setra also will come standard with a Davco Fuel Pro filter and a need-release coolant filter, providing for extended maintenance intervals.

The first Setra S 417 with SCR technology will be featured at the 2010 UMA Motorcoach Expo in Las Vegas. Deliveries should begin around the model-year change, most likely July/August 2010.