What is Blade?Blade is a device made by Sabertec that easily attaches to the tailpipes of gasoline-powered cars, SUV’s, light-duty trucks and hybrids to: - Capture toxic particulate material (PM) air pollution
- Reduce emissions of CO2 up to 12%
- Increase fuel efficiency up to 12%
Isn't particulate material (PM) air pollution just a diesel problem?Particulate material (PM) air pollution (soot) is known to cause grave environmental and human health consequences including acid rain, smog, cancer, asthma, respiratory disease and increased mortality. Due to the implementation of the catalytic converter in the 1970's, today's gasoline-powered vehicles do not expel a clearly visible, black (diesel-like) cloud of pollution. Although automobile exhaust is mostly invisible to the human eye, it is actually comprised of millions of microscopic particles of unburned fuel, which are easily ingested, undetected and retained by the human body. The smaller the particle size (less than 2.5 in diameter), the more detrimental they are to human health. These particles embed in human lungs where they cause asthma, lung damage, respiratory disease and premature death, especially in young children. New data shows that PM emissions from modern gasoline cars equal or exceed diesel PM emissions. University of Minnesota research cited by Diesel Fuel News, 2003 – "Gasoline cars may need particulate filters; PM emission no longer just a diesel issue" University of California at Fullerton research cited by MSNBC, 2008 – "Study: California Dirty Air Kills More Than Crashes" University of California at Irvine and Los Angeles research cited by Environmental Health News, 2009 – "More preemies born in neighborhoods with heavy pollution from cars, trucks" Lancaster University research cited by BBC, 2009 – "Road particles pose 'higher risk'" Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) research cited by USA Today, 2009 – "EPA study: 2.2M live in areas where air poses cancer risk" Who is using Blade?Environmentally responsible cities, chauffeured transportation fleets, corporate fleets, non-profit organizations, celebrities and activists use Blade to reduce their carbon footprint and improve their communities' air quality while enjoying the added benefit of lower fuel costs. Press Release: Brockton Mayor, James E. Harrington Calls Press Conference To Unveil Newly Adopted Auto Emissions Technology Acquired With Federal Stimulus Money How does Blade work?Blade works in three ways: - Blade is a filter that captures a vehicle's toxic particulate material (PM) emissions.
- Blade reduces CO2 emissions and improves fuel efficiency by decreasing the duration of a vehicle's "cold start" period.
- Blade reduces CO2 emissions and improves fuel efficiency by changing the exhaust pulse profile, which improves the volumetric efficiency of the engine, thereby reducing pumping loss and increasing engine efficiency.
For more comprehensive technical information, click here. Does Blade cause backpressure?No. People have been conditioned to believe that enclosing a vehicle's tailpipe will cause backpressure and adverse effects to the vehicle, but Blade’s patented design features a pressure release (V-cut) that allows it to work without causing backpressure. Blade was tested for backpressure at the request of the California Air Resources Board (CARB). This request was made because CARB engineers associate increases in exhaust backpressure with increasing NOx emissions and other regulated, environmentally harmful emissions. Products that are found to increase backpressure above the legal limit are not permitted for sale in the state of California. The backpressure test results prove that Blade does not create any appreciable backpressure in the exhaust system – measured pre-cat, post-cat and at the tailpipe. What proof is there that Blade reduces emissions and increases fuel efficiency?Blade was tested and proven using EPA Federal test procedures. These procedures are strictly conducted with no margin for variation. Testing was conducted at Automotive Testing and Development Services, Inc. (ATDS), a California-based independent testing laboratory, which is accepted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and licensed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). ATDS is the same lab used by top vehicle manufacturers to test emissions and fuel efficiency of new vehicles – including Honda, Toyota, GM, Ford, Nissan, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Volvo. ATDS tested Blade on a fleet of vehicles – consisting of 4-cylinder, 6-cylinder and 8-cylinder cars, an E-250 Van and a hybrid. The vehicles were a combination of foreign and domestic makes/models. The results demonstrate verifiable and repeatable reductions in CO2 and increases in fuel efficiency across the entire fleet. In addition, Blade underwent the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J 1321 type II road test, using a variety of vehicle types. To review the ATDS independent laboratory test results, click here. How is Blade different from other aftermarket products that claim to reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency?There are over 100 devices and fuel additives that claim to reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency. Blade is the only automotive aftermarket product ever to show significant CO2 reductions and fuel efficiency increases by the EPA 511 Protocol. What is the EPA 511 Protocol?The EPA 511 Test Protocol is an EPA collective term used to describe two Federal Test Procedures (FTP): - FTP-75 Urban Drive Trace, which measures regulated emissions and fuel efficiency in simulated city driving.
- Highway Fuel Economy Test (HFET), which measures regulated emissions and fuel efficiency in simulated highway driving.
The regulating authority for each test is 40 Code of Federal Regulations, parts 86 and 600. These tests are conducted under laboratory conditions in strict accordance with Federally mandated procedures. The EPA 511 is the only test procedure recognized as valid and indisputable for aftermarket retrofit devices that claim to reduce emissions and/or increase fuel efficiency. Why isn't Blade listed on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) or EPA verified lists of particulate filters?The verified lists of particulate filters on both CARB's website and EPA's federal register are diesel emissions strategies only. CARB – http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/verdev/vt/cvt.htm
EPA – http://www.epa.gov/otaq/retrofit/verif-list.htm Previously, only diesel engines were believed to produce toxic particulate material (PM) emissions. Although gasoline particulates are now widely believed to be much more hazardous to human health than diesel, there is currently no Federal or local verification program for gasoline particulate technologies. Blade was designed specifically to capture particulate material (PM) emissions from gasoline vehicles. In fact, Blade is the first and only retrofit device that captures gasoline particulates. Blade does not have a California Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Order Number. Why?Sabertec worked directly with CARB's Aftermarket, Performance and Add On Parts Division to address the requirement for a VC27165 anti-tampering waiver, which is required by the state of California or any state that has adopted CARB vehicle codes (16 currently). CARB does not require an executive order waiver for any exhaust part that is located downstream from the catalytic converter, meaning between the catalytic converter and the exhaust exit. Since Blade is installed on the very end of the tailpipe it does not require the waiver. Will using Blade have any negative effects on my vehicle?No. Blade has been proven through both laboratory and extensive field-testing to have no adverse effects on automobile engine or emission systems performance. Blade's performance test results show a four percent loss in peak horsepower. Peak horsepower can only be felt when your vehicle is redlining. Blade has shown increases in low-end torque for most vehicles. Will using Blade void my vehicle's warranty?No. Blade has been proven through both laboratory and extensive field-testing to have no adverse effects on automobile engine or emission systems performance. The Magnuson-Moss Act of 1974 protects consumers against the arbitrary voiding of vehicle warranties by auto manufacturers simply for adding aftermarket devices. The act states that a manufacturer must prove in a court of law that the addition of the aftermarket device clearly caused the warranty-related issue or the warranty must be honored. In addition, Sabertec carries full liability insurance in the unlikely event that Blade is proven to cause damage to a vehicle while installed. Can Blade be installed on a leased vehicle?Yes. If a piece of the vehicle's original tailpipe is removed during Blade installation, keep it in a safe place. At the end of the lease, remove the Blade and restore the tailpipe back to its original condition before returning the vehicle. I am considering buying a hybrid. What are the benefits to installing Blade on my existing non-hybrid vehicle instead?Hybrids are expensive (average cost is $26,825) and they provide nominal environmental and fuel efficiency benefits. When a hybrid vehicle is running on gasoline, it is emitting CO2 and toxic particulate material (PM) air pollution in the same alarming quantities as a non-hybrid vehicle. The small fuel efficiency gains achieved by hybrids rarely if ever deliver a return on investment (ROI) to hybrid owners due to the high purchase price. Additionally, the U.S. does not recycle automobiles, which means that many functioning non-hybrid vehicles end up crushed and deposited in landfills when the owners trade them in for hybrids. This is not good for the environment. Installing Blade on your existing vehicle is the best environmental choice because it makes your vehicle less pollutive and more efficient affordably. How much does Blade cost?The Blade retails for $199.00. The price of a replacement filter cartridge is $19.99. Where can I buy Blade?Blade can be purchased on Amazon.com or Carparts.com and at select stores nationally. Click here to find a retailer or installer near you. How often do Blade filter cartridges need to be replaced?For cars manufactured after 1997, it is recommended that Blade’s filter cartridge be changed every 8,000 to 10,000 miles. For cars manufactured prior to 1996, it is recommended that the filter cartridge be changed every 3,000 miles. Are Blade filter cartridges recyclable?Yes. Blade filter cartridges are packaged in cylinders made from recyclable plastic. When it is time to replace your used Blade cartridge, simply remove the new Blade cartridge from the plastic cylinder, replace it with the used Blade cartridge and drop the cylinder into the recycling bin. Is the pollution in a used Blade filter cartridge hazardous?A used Blade filter contains particulate material (PM) in its solid form, which is not hazardous to the environment or to people if they touch it. How do I install Blade?Blade is easy to install, but Sabertec recommends that it be installed professionally. Click here for video and written instructions and here to find an installer near you. How was Blade developed and why?Sabertec's first product, Impact Diesel Particulate Filter (IDPF), is a non-catalytic serviceable technology that captures toxic particulate material (PM) emissions from diesel-burning engines. Sabertec's IDPF's have been proven to reduce diesel emissions of toxic particulate material (PM) 2.5 up to 70 percent by the renowned University of Sao Paulo's Laboratory of Atmospheric Research. IDPF's have been in use in Sao Paulo, Brazil's public bus system since 2005. Blade was developed in order to bring a similar, affordable particulate material (PM) reduction solution to gasoline-powered vehicles. Why didn't the big car companies think of this?Blade was designed entirely for the purpose of capturing toxic particulate material (PM) emissions from vehicles. The technology's other benefits, reducing CO2 and increasing fuel efficiency, were discovered during independent laboratory testing. When catalytic converters were introduced in the 1970's, it was believed that they were the ultimate solution for automobile air pollution. As a result, no new emissions regulations have been established in the United States and gasoline particulate material (PM) emissions continue to be unregulated. Automotive manufacturers have had no incentive to spend research & development dollars developing PM filtration technology.
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