PRESS RELEASE: With that, the 793F is now available to meet US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 standards for both the US and Canada.

Cat officials said that all pilot machines in the test exceeded requirements, with two units in the group logging more than 7,600 operating hours within their first year working in the field. Some of the testing included cold ambient temperatures, high ambient temperatures, uphill hauls and flat hauls.

“All of the trucks integrated seamlessly into the mining systems as customers reported excellent performance and reliability,” the company said.

Additionally, in a performance study at an iron mine, Caterpillar said the Tier 4 Final 793F measured no loss in performance or productivity versus the Tier contemporaries already working on the same site. The truck realized a 5.3% reduction in diesel fuel burn over the haul cycle, which will result in a lower cost of ownership for those operations putting the Tier 4 Final 793F machines to work.

Cat noted the Tier 4 Final 793F uses the Cat C175-16 engine, which proved its performance in prior models of the 793F. In the newest configuration, the truck has a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system on board, which uses diesel exhaust fluid, to give it the most robust, reliable means to meet the standards while also offering equivalent engine performance.

“The modular SCR design, which was adopted from other Cat production products, minimized new content and design changes to the proven Tier 2 793F,” the OEM added.

All told, as of September 1, the Tier 4 Final 793F machines logged 30,500 field validation operation hours, with the units still working reliably and productively.

The 793F truck, according to Cat, is the market leader in the 250-ton (227-tonne) size class.