International announced Wednesday, June 25, that the LoneStar, introduced in February as a fuel-efficient “Advanced Classic” big-rig truck, has been certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a SmartWay truck. LoneStar — which joins the International ProStar with this environmental designation — is the first classic-styled Class 8 truck to receive this honor, according to the Warrenville, Ill.-based truck maker.
The SmartWay program is a voluntary partnership between freight industry sectors and EPA that establishes recognition and incentives for fuel-efficiency improvements and reductions to greenhouse gas emissions. Eligibility for the SmartWay truck certification is based on a comprehensive set of fuel-saving low-emissions equipment specifications for new Class 8 long-haul tractors. By 2012, this initiative aims to reduce as much as 66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions per year. At the same time, the initiative targets fuel savings of up to 150 million barrels of oil annually.
“As today’s diesel prices reach record highs, developing more fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible trucks is necessary to keep operating costs down for customers and to curtail each truck’s carbon footprint,” says Dee Kapur, Navistar Truck Group president. “Navistar is committed to green transportation with advanced engineering and purposeful design. We look forward to working with the EPA to continue to improve the environmental performance of our commercial trucks, diesel engines and buses.”
For a limited time, Navistar is introducing a fuel economy program called MAXXimum MPG to help truck customers order a truck with the right specifications to maximize fuel economy and aerodynamics. This program is available on ProStar and LoneStar trucks and includes a $1,000 customer incentive for selecting a Maxximum MPG fuel economy spec.
