Nissan aims for SULEV standard

has announced that a new clean diesel technology using high-performance catalysts may be able to meet

's standard for super-ultra-low emission vehicles (SULEVs), equivalent to the Tier2Bin2 emissions requirements.

Three components work together in Nissan's new technology to reduce diesel emissions: modulated-kinetic (MK) combustion, high-performance catalysts, and advanced engine control systems.

Nissan's Hydrocarbon-Oxides of Nitrogen (HC-NOx) trap catalyst technology incorporates an HC-trap layer in the NOx-trap catalyst. The HC-trap layer serves to trap the HC which is oxidised to generate hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO), which in turn react with the NOx gases trapped by the NOx-trap layer to produce nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide gases, in addition to water vapour (H2O) as end products. The chemical reactions effectively reduce HC and NOx resulting in cleaner exhaust emissions.

The company had previously announced clean diesel technology that met the US Tier2Bin5 emissions standards. With this new HC-NOx trap catalyst technology, Nissan believes it will be able to achieve cleaner diesel emissions in future vehicles that will meet the SULEV-standards set by the state of California.

In order to meet the SULEV-standards, hydrocarbons in vehicle emissions must be exhaust reduced by about 90% and NOx levels must be reduced by 70%.