PORTLAND, Ore. — Freightliner is preparing to deliver its first trucks with the 2007 EPA-approved engines under the hood.

The company says it will deliver the first of its 2007 engine-equipped tractors by the end of January. The Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine has been EPA-approved, Freightliner officials confirmed. The new engines reduce particulate matter by 95% and NOx by 50% compared to previous engine generations.

“These engines pass the ‘white handkerchief test’ where a white hanky placed over the exhaust pipes of the running truck shows there is no soot or odor emitted. They also demonstrate Freightliner and Detroit Diesel’s commitment to clean air and environmental progress,” says Tim Tindall, director of sales.

Detroit Diesel Series 60 engines meeting the 2007 emissions standards have undergone more than 14 million test miles, 2.5 million of which were conducted in real-world applications, the company says.

This is the most thoroughly tested engine and vehicle combination that Freightliner LLC has ever released, Tindall points out.

Freightliners Detroit Diesel plant in Redford, Mich. began producing EPA07 engines at the end of December. The first of those engines are being installed in Freightliner trucks at plants in Oregon, North Carolina and Ontario. Trucks with the 2007 engines are slated for delivery by the end of the month.

“The truck plants have already built a significant number of trucks with pre-production engines and we are more than ready to begin full production of EPA 2007 emission certified engines,” says Larry Dutko, general manager of EPA 2007 activities for Freightliner LLC.