Selective Catalytic Reduction the first solution
The first is Selective Catalytic Reduction, which stores emissions and then ‘selectively’ heats up to regenerate and neutralise the emissions.
What about a fuel-borne urea solution?
The second is a fuel-borne urea solution (commonly known as ‘AdBlue’) which breaks down emissions in the exhaust. Sadly, just urinating into the fuel tank is not going to recreate this reaction!
Costly solutions will add to the Euro6 price premium
But both ‘NOx filter’ solutions are costly and this will add to the price premium for Euro 6 diesels. It also raises the spectre of a possible increase in ‘after treatment bodges’ where owners save on replacing filters and catalytic converters simply by chopping them out when it’s time for renewal.
Current diesel vehicles that do match Euro 6 include the BMW 320d saloon, which has a price premium of £2,350 over the petrol engined 320i saloon.
Mazda, too, charge extra for the technology with the CX-5 crossover’s 2.2-litre Skyactiv diesel is £1,700 more than the 2.0-litre Skyactiv petrol engine.
On the van scene Mercedes-Benz has been producing Sprinter four and six-cylinder engines that comply to Euro 6 for more than a year.
In the short-term, manufacturers are hoping the Euro 6 compliant engines will be a selling point, especially if new anti-diesel taxes are enacted. However, they will be expecting to pass on all that R&D investment to customers who are likely to see a sizeable hike in on-the-road prices.
