Stage V environmental standards

European emission standards for engines used in non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) became progressively stricter from the introduction of the Stage I standard in 1997. Meanwhile, from 2019, most engines will be subject to the Stage V standard, Regulation 2016/1628, which replaces Directive 97/68/EC. These standards apply to equipment such as industrial drills, compressors, wheel loaders, bulldozers, nonroad trucks, excavators, forklifts, road construction equipment, snow plows and mobile cranes.

The Stage V legislation was proposed in 2014 and finalized in 2016. The standards took effect in 2019 for engines below 56 kW and above 130 kW. From 2020, they will also apply to engines from 56 to 130 kW. Stage V was also extended to a number of engines not previously regulated. At the end of 2020, the standards will be reviewed for the introduction of even stricter requirements. Whereas the Stage III and IV standards were largely on par with the US (Tier 3/7) and Japanese standards, for Stage V they are again further apart. Thus, the US Tier 4 standards can be met without filters. The Stage V standards relate to emissions of CO, HC, NOx and soot particles. Especially the latter standard is much stricter (from 0.025 g/kWh to 0.015 g/kWh).

Compact installations

Especially because of the limitation of the number of soot particles emitted, meeting Stage V standards almost always requires a particulate filter in addition to selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC). This makes the entire engine group bulky, and machine builders must take this into account, especially if EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) with its bulkier cooling system is also used.

Nevertheless, most engine builders have managed to keep their engine groups as compact as possible and still meet the Stage V standard. 

Volvo Penta engine group with clearly visible the installation to clean the exhaust gases.

Examples

This year, for example, Perkins introduced a range of engines from 0.5 to 18 liters capacity (4 to 597 kW) that meet the Stage V standard. Perkins is also working on electric hybrid, mechanical hybrid and hydraulic hybrid solutions. At Volvo Penta, the full range of engines (D5, D8, D11, D13 and D16) meets the latest standard with outputs ranging from 105 to 585 kW. Remarkably, the engines 20 % require less cooling, so the radiator could be reduced in size. In terms of TCO, the oil change interval was increased from 500 to 1,000 working hours. For its part, John Deere has a line of Stage V engines ranging from 2.9 to 13.6 liters with power ratings from 36 to 500 kW. The engines were optimized for easy installation. Cummins, in turn, reaches Stage V standards with all engines in the F3.8 to X15 series, while Hatz launched the first electronically controlled single-cylinder engine, the E1, with powers up to 12 kW.

Deutz too can supply all engines in Stage V version, but also developed engines on gas and hydrogen. So does Kubota, which can supply engines on diesel, gasoline, liquefied gas and natural gas. Yanmar developed gas-powered industrial engines with LPG, which achieve the Stage V standard. Gas engines produce fewer particles. Furthermore, Kohler engines with
Bluetooth technology already suitable for Stage V and FPT Industrial has both internal combustion engines and electric solutions in its range, with the Cursor X 4.0 as a highlight. Finally, MAN Engines, among others, introduced the new D4276 six-cylinder Stage V with power ratings from 450 to 515 kW, Caterpillar commercializes the C2.2, C3.6, C4.4, C13B and C27 as Stage V engines, and at Doosan we see a series of Stage V compliant portable compressors. These are just a few examples, but all engine makers are now providing Stage V versions, while simultaneously working on hybrid and electric solutions and the use of alternative fuels.