Ford’s new alternative fuel: veggie power

Ford has become the latest vehicle manufacturer to do its bit for air quality – this time by using renewable diesel fuel in some of its vehicles.
By Ben Spencer February 7, 2020 Read time: 1 min
Ford looks to power transit vans with hydrotreated vegetable oil (© StudioPlum | Dreamstime.com)

The company has approved the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) - based on waste oils, including cooking oil that can be sourced from restaurants, takeaways and home kitchens - in its Transit vans.

Hans Schep, general manager, commercial vehicles at Ford of Europe, says: “Enabling our vans to run on fuel made from waste, including used cooking oil, may sound far-fetched but using HVO is, in fact, a very real way in which Transit drivers and fleet operators will soon be able to help everybody enjoy improved air quality.”

HVO emits less nitrogen dioxide and particles than other diesel vehicles because it contains no sulphur or oxygen, the company adds.

Ford tested HVO in its 2.0-litre EcoBlue engine to ensure no modifications would be needed or servicing would not be affected.

HVO is currently available at selected fuel stations in Scandinavia and the Baltic states in a pure form or as a blend with regular diesel.

Air Quality & Weather Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • LowCVP calls on truck operators and others to focus on cutting truck emissions
    October 22, 2015
    To coincide with its participation in the new Freight in the City event on 27 October, the LowCVP is calling on fleet operators, local authorities and others to join forces in building the market for heavy goods vehicles which cut carbon, reduce emissions and lower fuel costs. In earlier research, the LowCVP has identified three main opportunities for cutting emissions from HGVs which pointed to the need for specific interventions: independent testing to validate the effectiveness of retrofit technology
    Read More
  • Study reveals unexpected effects of replacing fuel tax
    December 16, 2016
    Eric O’Rear, Wallace Tyner and Kemal Sarica examine the far-reaching implications of replacing fuel taxes with a mileage tax. Lawmakers at both the federal and state level are frustrated over declining fuel tax revenues as they struggle to fund projects for constructing and maintaining state-wide infrastructure.
    Read More
  • Foundation funds research for informed campaigning
    April 29, 2015
    ITS International talks to Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the transport research and lobbying organisation, the RAC Foundation. It is through the eyes of an economist that Professor Stephen Glaister, emeritus professor of transport and infrastructure at Imperial College London and director of the RAC Foundation, views current and future transport problems. Having spent 30 years at the London School of Economics and another 10 at Imperial, the move to the RAC Foundation was a radical departure from
    Read More
  • Need for simpler urban tolling solutions
    January 10, 2013
    A common assumption, even amongst informed observers, is that there’s but a handful of urban charging schemes in operation around the world and scant prospect of that changing any time soon. Larger city-sized schemes such as Singapore, London and Stockholm come readily to mind but if we take a wider view and also consider urban access control and Low Emission Zones (LEZs) then the picture changes rather radically. There is a notable concentration of such schemes in Europe but worldwide the number is comfort
    Read More

Highlighted Content