Navistar has submitted its MaxxForce 13 diesel engine to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for compliance testing, the company told attendees at a stock analyst meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 1. Last week, the California Air Resources Board notified Navistar that the company’s emissions credits for the MaxxForce 13 will expire Feb. 29.

Most diesel engine manufacturers chose to use selective catalytic reduction aftertreatment technology to meet the required emissions levels. Navistar diesel engines use an in-cylinder exhaust gas recirculation technology to reduce exhaust emissions; the company is the only North American engine manufacturer to do so.

Currently, Navistar diesel engines emit more grams of nitrogen oxide than their competitors’ engines. But because Navistar exceeded the performance parameters set for earlier emissions reduction regulations, the company was awarded emissions credits by the EPA that allow them to do so.

“The bottom line is that Navistar will sell engines in 2012 that are fully certified in all 50 states,” said Jack Allen, president of Navistar’s Engine Group, during the analysts’ meeting in Chicago. “Any issue between Navistar and the EPA will remain between us, and the EPA and will not affect Navistar customers.”

A spokesman for Navistar noted EPA emissions credits do not apply across the company’s engine line in a blanket fashion. Each engine platform has its own individual “bank” of credits. So, Navistar’s DT medium-duty engines, as well as the MaxxForce 11 and MaxxForce 15 engines, were not included in CARB’s announcement and will continue to be sold using their existing EPA credits.

Additionally, once an engine is submitted for testing, Navistar noted, EPA will not penalize the submitting company if credits expire before the certification process is complete. In that case, credit extensions will be issued to ensure EPA compliance.

“We will work through the normal certification process for the MaxxForce 13 with the EPA and follow up with our additional engine platforms later this year,” Allen said. “We will continue to use the credits we have selling our engines going forward. This is an ongoing process and a continual refinement process of our engines and our emissions technology. But we are confident the MaxxForce 13 will be certified as compliant by the EPA, validating our in-cylinder emissions reduction technology and without any degradation in terms of performance, durability and fuel economy for our customers.”