Pirelli: with particulate filters, commercial vehicles may enter all city centres in Italy
New Pirelli technology the first to receive homologation in Italy: filters will allow light and heavy commercial vehicles to access urban areas with emissions limits
The Group's new filter business continues to grow following recent launch in China and start of commercial activity in Germany, UK and Benelux
Milan, 20 October 2008 - Pirelli Eco Technology, the company in the Pirelli Group which operates in technologies for control of diesel engine emissions, said it was the first in Italy to receive homologation for five types of particulate filters for light and heavy commercial vehicles already in circulation, from the Italian Infrastructure and Transportation Ministry. Pirelli silicon carbide particulate filters are able to reduce particulate emissions in diesel vehicles by more than 95%, creating a significant improvement in air quality.
Following the homologation, vehicles fitted with Pirelli particulate filters will benefit from a better emissions class with respect to the Euro standard (Euro0-Euro5) and will be able to circulate freely in urban areas where vehicles with more polluting emissions are prohibited.
With this new recognition, the Pirelli particulate filter business continues to expand, following the launch last July of a pilot project for heavy vehicles in the Beijing Municipality, and the recent start of commercial activity in important European countries like Germany, the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Currently Pirelli filters are fitted on numerous vehicle fleets of companies transporting merchandise, and of environmental services, as well as on local public transportation vehicles including 150 Gruppo Arriva buses.
Pirelli Eco Technology particulate filters for light and heavy commercial vehicles already in circulation, also certified in Switzerland, the Netherlands and the UK and currently undergoing homologation tests in Germany and Austria, have been produced in a factory in Arese (Milan) since 2005. In addition, before the end of this year, commercial activity will begin for original equipment filters for cars, to be manufactured in a new factory in Bumbesti, Romania.